Confounding Feelings
by lucid-dreamerxo
Summary: At first, there was kindness. Then there was madness. And then, these two unlikely lovers found themselves in love. But can love overcome fear? [Shameless smut]
1. Chapter 1

Confounding Feelings

[In which Lana needs a bath. And Oliver must bathe her.]

Since being captured by Dr. Oliver Thredson, Lana Winters often spent an indistinguishable amount of time thinking of ways to escape her bleak surroundings. She had tried twisting against her chains, screaming for help, and even went as far as attempting to saw at the chain links on her cuffs. But to no avail. These actions of her's only sent Oliver into a rage, which at this point is something she wanted desperately to avoid.

The journalist had no sense of time. There was no clock or calendar in the basement, and after the first few days had passed, Lana lost track of time. However, she knew it had to have been over a week's time, for she was starting to stink. Living in squalor was something she had never had to deal with, so the realization of her stench brought tears to her eyes. In no time at all, she was downright bawling.

This triggered Dr. Thredson to come down the stairs. Their eyes met, with Lana looking deplorable at best. Her lips were quivering with her tears, her eyes a bloodshot red. "What's the problem now?" Oliver's voice was passive, his eyes betraying no emotion. His arms were folded impatiently across his chest.

Trying to suck it up and stop crying, Lana managed a shaky answer. "I-I need a bath..." The woman's voice was raspy, her throat burning from her screaming. The psychiatrist's annoyed stature dissipated as he approached the young brunette. A glint of excitement lit up Oliver's dark brown eyes. Lana's heart sped up, not knowing what the doctor was thinking.

He stepped into the basement, until he was on his knees in front of Lana. He raised his hand to her cheek, stroking it gently, a smile coming to his lips. "So it would seem." His eyes raked up and down her body, his eyes narrowing in appreciation as he did so. Lana stiffened, still not used to such obvious admiration. Oliver smiled and stood up, moving back over to his desk. He picked up a pill bottle and poured a couple of blue pills into his hand. He grabbed a nearby water bottle, and made his way back over to his captive.

Kneeling before her once again, he commanded her to open her mouth. Lana silently thanked her lucky stars that he hadn't grabbed a syringe. However, she still didn't trust the mad man. "What is that?" Ms. Winters asked quietly.

Not answering, Dr. Thredson grabbed her jaw, forcing her mouth to open. He popped the pills in and tilted her head back, pouring a small amount of water into her mouth. She struggled to swallow the pills, but did so in order not to anger the large man. "That's a good girl." He purred. Next, he reached for the keys at his waist, and released her from her shackles.

As she attempted to stand, Lana realized how shaky she was from lack of physical activity and reached out for the lapels of Oliver's suit. Without missing a beat, he scooped her up in his arms and began carrying her up the stairs. Lana felt undeniably dizzy as she leaned her head on Oliver's shoulder for support, watching through glazed eyes as he brought them into his bathroom. He placed her on the toilet seat and turned to draw water into the tub. He turned to look at her, and began unbuttoning his jacket. "You will need to disrobe, Lana." Oliver nearly whispered, his voice husky, his eyes glowing with dark intentions.

In a haze, Lana realized she couldn't even raise her arms. "Help me..." She whispered back, her words slurred from whatever medicine he had given her. Once his jacket was off, he moved to untie the front of her nightgown. He did so with deliberate slowness, his eyes meeting her's. His gaze was smoldering, but calm.

"How do you feel?" Oliver asked as he pulls her nightgown over her head and tosses it to the side. Now naked, Lana shakily sighed. Despite being exposed, she wasn't embarrassed. She moved her head to loosen her neck and grabbed onto the front of Dr. Thredson's dress shirt. "Dizzy..." Is all Lana whispers back.

He doesn't respond. Instead, he continues to peel off his own clothes until he is naked as well. The tub is full and Oliver stops the water flow. He adds a bath bomb to the water and the scent of lilies fills the small bathroom. Lana sighs at the floral scent and readies herself to be lifted into Oliver's strong arms. He places her in the tub. She should be disturbed as he climbs in behind her, but instead, she relaxes against his body. He is warm and smells of cinnamon and musk. This shouldn't excite her, but it does.

Lana tries her best to think of Wendy as she hears Oliver open a bottle and begin rubbing shampoo into her scalp. The sensation is delightful and an erotic sigh escapes her lips as he continues his gentle massage. A deep chuckle escapes the doctors mouth at the sigh. "Does it feel good?" Lana jumps, as the doctor's lips brush her ear as he asks the question.

Unable to help herself, she moans aloud and whispers a broken "Yes..." Oliver pours warm water over her hair to rinse out the lilac scented shampoo and begins adding conditioner to her frizzy hair. He smoothes his large fingers through the fine brown stands and untangles her mane with gentle hands.

It was times like these that greatly confused Lana. Sometimes Dr. Thredson was downright terrifying. And then there were times like this where he was so gentle and attentive. The mood swings were messing with her perception of his character. She should hate his very guts, but sometimes it was hard to. What had he given her to make her think these thoughts?

Oliver rinsed her hair again and the writer pulled a stand of her nice smelling hair to her nose and gave a sniff. Then, she sighed and relaxed completely against Oliver's firm body. It was so different from her Wendy's. But that wasn't such a bad thing. Her head was swimming as Dr. Thredson lifted her up to stand in the tub.

"I am going to wash your body now, Lana." Oliver says quietly, almost as if asking for permission. That was a glorified first. She didn't dare laugh at the irony though and simply nodded her head. The doctor picked up a bottle of body wash and began kneading her shoulders. As he moved down slowly, Lana sighed at the heightening sense of his touch. He moaned aloud as well as his large hands covered her breasts, tweaking the nipples as he went. "So beautiful..." Oliver's voice was reverent, watching her body being covered by his hands. It was as though she belonged to him. As if she were made for him.

As his hands moved even lower, Lana felt her heart beat faster in her chest. His fingers danced down her stomach, tickling the soft skin as they went. And when he brushed her folds, she cried out and leaned her head back against his shoulder. "That's it, Lana..." Oliver whispered into her ear, his tongue lightly tracing her earlobe. His fingers curled inside of her, stroking her slick walls. His other hand was groping her breast, the thought of washing her momentarily forgotten.

As his fingers were thrusting deep inside her, he used his thumb to brush against the little nub that he knew would make her scream. And scream she did. "Oliver! Ah!" The journalist had lost all control. Her legs were shaking from the intensity, her hands were reaching back to clasp the back of his neck for support. Oliver was panting in her ear as he worked her, pressing in all the right places. When suddenly, he stopped. He removed his fingers and slipped them into his mouth to taste her. A deep moan vibrated in his chest. "So sweet..." His voice was a deep whisper.

Lana watched as he did this, turning around in the tub. Instead of being repulsed, she found herself growing even wetter at the erotic idea of him tasting her. She grasped Oliver's shoulders, feeling the muscles strain as he moved to pull her up against him. "You like this, don't you?" Dr. Thredson asked, his hands groping her ass as he ground his erection against her. Lana moaned, still holding on tightly to him. His cock had found it's way between her folds and was now thrusting up against her clit. "God, Lana, you feel so good!" His thrusts sped up and her moans increased in sound. Her head was thrown back, relishing the body shaking pleasure.

In the back of her mind, she knew this was wrong. She was a lesbian! How could this feel so good? She should be vomiting, not curling against him and moaning his name. He had finally broken her. She really was insane now. Lana was broken out of her thoughts as Oliver lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around his hips and sighed as he sunk inside of her. "C'mon baby, ride me." Oliver rasped, his hands supporting her by her ass.

And she did. Lana lifted her hips and sunk back down on him. He was so hard and so deep inside of her that she couldn't help crying out. "Oliver! Please don't stop!" The journalist prayed that he would allow her to come. She never had an orgasm with him before, so she didn't know just how cruel he might be about her pleasure. Spurned on by her words, the doctor thrust up even harder every time she fell against him. With one hand still supporting her ass, his other hand reached between their bodies to rub her clitoris.

Lana Winters had never felt such pleasure before in her life. It was as though every time he thrust into her, she could see stars. Yet, despite the mind numbing pleasure, she was having a hard time keeping her eyes open. Perhaps because she knew deep down how wrong this was. Oliver was beginning to notice. He pounded her even harder and spoke sternly to her. "Look at me, Lana." When she didn't respond right away, he raised his voice. "Look at me!"

Hazel met dark brown and Oliver couldn't help but to smile at the hazed look in Lana's eyes. "That's it, baby! I want to see the look in your eyes when I make you come." The lewd words made her cry out as she dug her nails into his shoulders. She was so close. And based on his constant groans and the pinched look of his brow, he was too.

Lana could hear the slapping of their bodies and that was it. She was coming. She was mildly terrified that it was happening, but she couldn't stop herself from crying out his name. "Oliver! Yes! Oh my God!" Her whole body was numb as her toes curled and she gave his shoulders one final rake with her nails.

Not soon after, she felt Oliver come inside of her. "Lana! Fuck!" He groaned and slipped them both back down into the tub, water splashing around them. It was silent at first, until Dr. Thredson leaned forward into her breast. His panting filled the room. Then he whispered against her breast. "That was amazing, Lana..." His hands were absentmindedly tracing up and down her sides, his lips sucking on her pebbled nipple.

After coming down from her high, Lana collected her thoughts and tiredly leaned against him. "What did you give me?" Her voice was quiet, timid. Her heart was hammering away, awaiting his response. Still stroking her sides, Thredson danced around the question. "What do you think it was?"

"An aphrodisiac." The writer's voice was certain. It could easily explain her orgasm and sudden attraction to the doctor. Oliver simply shook his head. A piece of Lana Winters broke in that moment. If he was telling the truth, then everything she had felt wasn't forced. It came naturally. She wanted to cry, but she was so exhausted that she just went limp against him.

Oliver enveloped Lana in a tight hug, stroking her hair as he spoke. "It was a muscle relaxer. I didn't want to have to hurt you. I didn't want you to fight me." His voice was gentle. Despite his kindness, Lana knew this couldn't change anything between them.

All they could ever be is enemies.

The bath finished in an uneventful manner. No declarations of eternal love. But there was no violence on Oliver's part. He wrapped her in a towel and carried her back down to the basement. He dried her body off in silence, though she noticed the way his eyes swept across her body in appreciation as he changed her into a clean shirt of his.

The meaning was not lost on her. He had never let her wear his clothing before. Oliver chained Lana back to the bed and bent her back to go to sleep. "Do you require a sedative?" The doctor's voice was quiet, but kind. Lana simply shook her head no, her whole body was completely numb. As she laid back to go to sleep, she felt Dr. Thredson lean in and kiss her forehead. He whispered, "Until tomorrow, Lana."

She listened to his footsteps, to make sure he was out of the room until she broke down crying quietly. She had no idea what was in store for her tomorrow, but if it was anything like today, she'd rather be dead than deal with these confounding feelings.

[TBC]


	2. Chapter 2

Confounding Feelings, Part 2.

Lana Winters awoke fitfully from yet another nightmare. She was stuck in Briarcliff, being poked and prodded by the orderlies. Sometimes she was caned. Other times she recalled being trapped in a cell with Oliver Thredson. The dreams seemed so real that she often woke up screaming. And this night was no different. When she awoke, her heart was pounding out of her chest and she was panting for breath. Only this time, when she looked around the room, there stood Dr. Thredson, already at her bedside.

It usually took him awhile to respond to her cries, and he often looked enraged because she had disturbed his sleep. At the moment, however, the tall dark haired male seemed to pity her. He wasn't saying anything, but his eyebrows were pinched in concern, his stature relaxed. Lana caught her breath and held her hand over her heart. Wordlessly, the doctor moved to sit on her bedside and raised two fingers to the pulse on her neck. Then his hand moved to wipe across her brow, gathering the sweat that had pooled there.

Never before had Oliver asked what she frequently woke up screaming about. Apparently, tonight was different than all the nights beforehand. "You're sweating... Your heart rate is at 120 bpm... You're experiencing night terrors..." The doctor listed Lana's symptoms in his usual professional tone. He regarded her with concern in his eyes. "What have you been dreaming about?" His hand reached out to brush consolingly through her hair as he awaited an answer.

Lana took a deep shaky breath. How was she supposed to answer that question when he was part of the reason that her mind was so tortured? Surely she couldn't tell him that. He was far too unpredictable to be completely honest with. "Briarcliff... I still dream that I'm stuck in there..." Ms. Winters whispered her response. While it wasn't a total lie, she found herself thinking she may be better off if she was back there.

Oliver released Lana's hair and moved back a bit to look at her over the top of his glasses. He didn't seem entirely convinced of her story, he wasn't an idiot. He knew she must also dream of Wendy, of him, of the horrible things he has done to her. Nonetheless, he didn't comment on it, and waited for her to finish speaking. "I don't think I'll ever have a dreamless sleep again in my life..."

Oliver knew the feeling all too well. He often dreamt of his mother, how different his life could have been had she been a part of it. If he hadn't grown up in the system, hadn't felt such extreme loneliness, maybe he wouldn't even be here right now. Maybe himself and Lana would be seeing each other under completely different circumstances. But reality was like a slap in the face, and there was no going back. "I could give you something for the nightmares." Dr. Thredson offered, moving to stand up.

Lana's hand shot out and grabbed his wrist before he could walk away. "No. Please. No more medication." Her eyes were beginning to tear up as she said this, vividly remembering the night before. The journalist was terrified to feel that way again. It was easier when Oliver forced himself on her. At least things were black and white when he was rough with her. She didn't want to see him in any other light. He was a murderer, not someone she should desire or relate to.

But the world isn't black and white, and things weren't so simple. Oliver sat back down on her bedside, taking off his glasses and setting them on her bedside table. He ran a hand through his messy black hair and released a sigh. "I'm just trying to help you, Lana. Why do you resist me?" His tone was agitated. His dark brown eyes watched her shrink in fear.

The young woman was too afraid to respond. She simply shook, awaiting the doctors inevitable blow up. When it didn't come, and he wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug, she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from screaming. He was so strong, it was as though he was deliberately crushing her. "Lana..." Oliver's voice was a whisper. He leaned in to kiss her neck, loosening his grip on her a little. Lana sighed, her neck had always been her weakness.

She felt his wet, hot mouth sucking on her pulse. She had no doubt he could feel her wild pulse under his tongue. The doctor moved up to her ear, biting gently at the lobe. "I can feel you squirming... Don't fight it." Lana gasped, not even realizing she had been squirming from his kisses. Oliver moved back to her neck, nipping at the sensitive skin. She couldn't help the moan that came from her mouth. Her small hands found their way up into his mussed hair. Lana decided she liked it this way. It was wild and unpredictable, just like him.

With a small smile, She tugged at the short hairs. Oliver let his head fall back with the tug, letting out a small growl. So he liked it rough? A smile graced Lana's full lips. She was going to have fun with him tonight. "Oliver... What do you want me to do to you?" The writer's voice was sultry, even to her own ears. But the curling of arousal in her belly couldn't be denied any longer. Dignity be damned!

An aroused chuckle left the doctor at the sudden change in his captive's behavior. He was rock hard the moment she tugged his hair. And now she was offering to please him? God, there was so much he wanted her to do to him. "Just touch me..." Oliver whispered, lifting Lana's hand to touch his bicep. He was wearing a muscle tee and boxers, Lana noticed. She allowed her hand to trace lightly up and down his arm. She leaned in and sucked on his pulse, the same way he had done to her, dragging her teeth as she went.

Oliver moaned deep in his chest, moving his arms around her small body to cradle her to him. She pulled away at the contact, simply to pull his shirt over his head. Lana hadn't realized she'd been panting, until she was running her hands down Oliver's chest. He was hairy, but not overly so. He was also toned nicely. As her hands moved down his body, she tweaked his nipples, also leaning in to kiss down his chest.

It felt nice to have the ball in her court for once. To be the one doing these sinuous things to him. Drawing moans out from him made her wetter than she would care to admit. Oliver was grasping tightly onto her hips, watching through hooded eyes as Lana made her way to his boxers. The writer pushed him back onto the bed and perched herself on top of him, with her knees on either side of his head.

Lana knew he could see up her nightgown, but she didn't care. She was too busy trying to gather the courage to pull his boxers off. The young woman could see how hard he was, straining against the silk of his underwear. She was excited, but nervous. Ms. Winters was in uncharted territory. What if the doctor didn't like what she did to him?

As if sensing her hesitation, Dr, Thredson pulled his boxers down himself and kicked them off. Confronted with his arousal, Lana blushed and simply watched it twitch. Curiosity got the best of her as she wrapped her small hands around his girth experimentally. She didn't know what made a man large in the genital department, but she could now see why it felt so amazing when he filled her last night.

Lana began pumping her hands up and down, listening to Oliver heady moans. The power it gave her was intoxicating. She gripped him tightly and pumped him slowly, squeezing her legs together to try to hide her arousal. The brunette wasn't wearing any panties, as Oliver had deemed them unnecessary. She could feel his hot breath against her closed thighs. Lana could feel his large hands come up to part her thighs, and she was powerless to stop him.

"I want to taste you, Lana." That was all the warning the doctor gave before he leaned up and parted her folds with his tongue. Lana gasped and let go of Oliver's hardness, now needing to grasp his thighs for support. His tongue was hot and wet against her, stroking her clit torturously. Of course, just when she thought the cards were in her favor, Oliver changed the game.

The journalist jumped when she felt him push two fingers inside of her and begin pumping, his tongue continuing it's pleasurable assault. Taking control back into her hands, Lana leaned in and took Oliver into her mouth, sucking him for all he was worth. The couple was moaning against one another as they pleasured each other.

It was like a competition to see who would come first. Both were working each other furiously, muffled moans filling the room. Oliver was the first to pull away, still working her with his fingers as he spoke. "It feels so good, Lana! Don't stop!" His voice was desperate, he was now thrusting up into her mouth.

Trying not to gag, Ms. Winters sucked harder, slightly dragging her teeth against him on the way up. Oliver seemed to love it, using his free hand to grasp the sheets beneath them. He bent away from her, leaning his head back into the pillow as he groaned and growled. All the while he kept his fingers pumping inside her haphazardly.

Lana sucked him faster, sucking in her cheeks as she did so, so he could feel the suction. "I'm going to come! Hah!" Oliver shouted suddenly, whimpering at the impending orgasm. Deep down, Lana wanted to pull back, but she didn't. Instead she moved even faster, waiting for him to come.

And come he did. He shouted her name, his fingers coming out of her to fist the sheets as he rode it out. Lana couldn't help the swell of pride as she swallowed all he had to offer. She had broken him the same way he had broken her, and she had managed not to come. Though she was so close. She had finally won a battle in this waging war between them.

Oliver sighed shakily and pulled Lana off of him. He positioned her to lay on top of his naked body. The crazed man seemed to be relaxed in that moment and he bent to kiss her forehead. "That was amazing..." The doctor's voice was a tired whisper as he stroked his captive's hair. Lana, still feeling the burn of arousal, reached her hand between their bodies to stroke herself.

Dr. Thredson noticed and sat her up in his lap, slapping her hands away. "Let me." His fingers slid back inside of her, his thumb rubbing where she needed it most. He was rough and uncouth with her, and now she was face to face with her captor. His heavy brow was pinched, taking pleasure in her little cries. Her hands gripped his biceps as he curled his fingers inside her, just the way she liked.

The eye contact was what sent her over the edge, as well as his little erotic comments. The orgasm ripped through Lana's body, burning her insides as she screamed out. The room was silent aside from her pants. And then Oliver was kissing her. He was gentle, not biting, using his tongue to part her lips. She allowed him access, both of them moaning as they shared this intimacy.

For some reason, this kiss was more invasive than any sexual contact they had engaged in. There was something personal and romantic about this. Come to think of it, Lana couldn't remember ever kissing Oliver. Not on the lips anyway. And she was lost to the passion in the kiss.

The doctor massaged her tongue with his, lightly caressing her cheeks with his fingertips as he kissed her. Lana was the first to pull away, meeting his gaze with a look of surprise. Wordlessly, he placed her warm body beside his and curled his larger body around her. "Sleep, Lana." Thredson whispered into the woman's ear.

Exhausted, and somehow not embarrassed, Lana closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep. For once she wasn't crying, and she didn't have any nightmares. It was as though Oliver had cured her.

Maybe they could be more than enemies?

[TBC]


	3. Chapter 3

Confounding Feelings, Part 3.

 _"Oliver... You don't have to do this!" Lana Winters' panicked cry sounded out in the pitch black basement. Oliver Thredson currently had the woman pinned beneath him, a scalpel in hand. The larger man was pressing down on her with all his might, pressing the thin blade into the crying woman's neck. "Please, Oliver! I love you!" Her small fists were pounding against his chest as his weapon drew blood from her delicate flesh._

 _"You just don't get it, Lana!" Oliver roared, unrelenting in his assault on her. "It won't work! You're a lesbian, for God's sake! How could you possibly love me?!" The journalist's voice was a high pitched screech as she struggled beneath him, somehow managing to wriggle her hand in front of her neck, stopping the scalpel from carving any further._

 _"I don't know! But I know I do!" Lana's brown eyes were wide in their panic, tears streaming down her pretty face. "Please, baby! We could be so happy! If you would just give it a chance!" For a moment, Thredson considered this. He was just the same as her. Once he came to a conclusion about something, he stuck by it. And that's exactly how he knew his captive was lying to his face to save her own life. She wasn't crying because she felt betrayed, she was crying because she was scared._

 _With a crazed laugh, Oliver slashed at her hand, a deep gash forming across the skin. Blood dripped and formed a dark red stain on the white sheet below them. With Lana's hand effectively out of his way, he bent in close to her, his eyebrows narrowing as he glared in her face. "Any last words, Lana?" Oliver's voice was patronizing as he smiled wickedly down at the brunette._

 _With a sniffle and taking one last look at her bloodied hand, Lana reached her wounded hand up, and backhanded her captor across the face. "I will never love you." Her voice was venomous as she spoke, and she spit in the doctor's face. Stunned, Oliver touched the bloodstain on his cheek, before looking down at the woman he craved in pure rage._

 _With a growl, he slit her throat. In the moment, it felt great to finally shut her up. But minutes later, he felt a twist of agony at seeing her bleed out. There was no doubt that she was dead. The esteemed psychiatrist could see the inside of her bleeding throat. There was no coming back from this. He had killed the only thing he ever loved. With a scream, he rolled off of her dead body and onto the floor._

 _Tears streamed down his face as he yelled at no one in particular. "I am a monster! No!" Oliver pounded his fists into the ground as he whimpered. What had he done this time? Was there no stopping his madness? There was no point in living without Lana Winters. Looking down at the bloodied scalpel in his hand, and then back over at Lana's lifeless body, he made his decision._

 _"I'm sorry, Lana..." Was all the young doctor whispered before dragging that same scalpel across his neck, severing an artery, and falling to the floor. He was alive for another minute before death, the last thing he saw was his Lana's bare, shackled feet before the darkness overtook him._

Oliver Thredson woke with a jolt from the jarring nightmare. His breath was heavy, his whole body numb from the shock of the things he just saw. It was a good few minutes before he collected himself. He glanced at the alarm clock on his bedside table. It was 2:30 in the morning. Unable to lay down and go back to sleep, Oliver put on his glasses and made his way into the kitchen. Bypassing getting a glass of water, he made his way over to the basement door.

Unlocking it as quietly as he could, Thredson made his way down the stairs, almost tiptoeing all the way down. Once at the bottom of the steps, he stopped and regarded Lana's sleeping form. She was covered in a thin sheet, her body oddly still. The writer was usually thrashing and moaning, a side effect of her frequent nightmares. The doctor moved closer, until he was at her bedside.

Up close, her tiny face was peaceful, not a sheen of sweat on her. Her mouth was open, drawing in silent breaths. Oliver smiled down at her, gently running his hand through her soft hair. She didn't even stir at the contact. Dr. Thredson had slipped a sleeping pill into her food at dinner, assuring that she would have a peaceful night's sleep for once. She had asked for him to stop giving her medication, but he knew she only said so because she didn't trust him.

However, the more time he spent with her, the less she fought him. And the less Lana fought him, the easier it was for the doctor to contain his demons. She ought to trust him by now. He hadn't laid a hand on her in days. In the beginning, their relationship had been strictly violent. Oliver couldn't shake the feeling that it was growing into something more.

As if sensing his presence, Lana stirred. Her brow pinched suddenly, as though she was in pain. Her eyes remained closed as she spoke. "Oliver..." The journalist's voice was a quiet whimper. Was she still having nightmares? Oliver wondered. His large hand continued stroking soothingly through her hair, waiting to see a change in her behavior. "It feels so good...!" Oliver's mouth fell open as Lana twisted beneath him, her back arching off the bed as she cried out.

A smirk of satisfaction graced his lips as he watched her. She wasn't having a nightmare, she was dreaming of him. Of the two of them, doing sinfully wonderful things together. Thredson moaned, his pants already growing tighter at the thought of being inside her once more.

Unable to help himself, Oliver laid beside Lana, dragging her sheet down to see if her hands were coming out to play as she slept. The bespectacled man bit his tongue as he watched Lana's small thumb trace incessant circles against her clit. "Oliver, please...!" She cried out as she inserted a finger into her dripping folds. The brunette pumped herself slowly, still writhing as she pleasured herself.

How badly the doctor wanted to stroke her in that moment. He wanted to alleviate her frustration and finger fuck her until she was sated and whimpering against him. But maybe his dream was trying to tell him something? Perhaps, instead of taking advantage of her in her sleep, he should simply alleviate himself. He was tired of violating her.

Oliver considered waking her, but he hadn't seen her sleep so peacefully since she had been here. It would surely be wrong to disturb her. So instead, Dr. Thredson began pulling down his pants and underwear in one pull, freeing his rock hard erection. Keeping his almost black eyes on her, he began stroking himself. Lana was still cooing as she pumped herself even harder, her thumb circling her clitoris even faster.

The doctor matched her speed, his heart beating out of his chest as he watched her head turning madly against her pillow from the pleasure. "Unh! Deeper! Oliverrr!" Oliver panted as he brushed the precum from his sensitive tip over his shaft, trying his best to not moan aloud. He watched as Lana added another finger, twisting them in to the knuckle. Such a pity. His fingers were much longer and bigger, he could surely bring her greater pleasure.

The psychiatrist pumped furiously, letting his eyes drift closed as he imagined Lana was the one stroking him. It was easy to pretend when she was essentially panting and moaning in his ear. His eyes snapped open as the bed began creaking beneath him. Oliver continued pumping himself and nearly came at the sight. Lana was now furiously riding her fingers, her free hand twisting her nipple as her mouth opened in a silent cry.

The sleeping pills must be pretty strong if all this movement wasn't waking her. Thredson threw caution to the wind and allowed himself to cry out in time with Lana as she finally reached fulfillment. "Oliver!" She cried, her back arching one last time, her fingers stilling inside of her.

Oliver bent back and growled his release, watching his semen spurt up onto his stomach and chest. Panting, he let go of his softening cock, turning to look back at Lana, whose brown eyes were now open, watching him with a small mischievous smile. "Hello, Oliver." Ms. Winters winked at him, giggling a little bit as she looked down at his embarrassing state.

A week ago, Oliver would have been furious with her for giggling at his cum covered stomach and flaccid penis, but instead, he grinned back at her, his head still fuzzy from his release. "Hi." He whispered back, the baritone of his voice echoing in the basement. He reached a hand out to stroke her cheek as he gazed into her dark brown eyes.

Lana cuddled against him, wrapping an arm around his sticky waist as she leaned her cheek against his broad shoulder. "Were you awake the whole time?" Dr. Thredson asked, his tone slightly sheepish. Lana just giggled, tickling her finger across his jaw.

"Nope. But I woke up around the time you came. You were a little loud..." The writer's shit eating grin made Oliver blush, just like a little boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He glanced away from her and at a random spot on the wall. "It's okay..." Lana's voice was soft, reassuring. "You could have taken advantage of me... But you didn't."

With a smile, Oliver looked back over at her. He dragged the back of a finger against her soft cheek, a look of adoration in his brown eyes. "I'm tired of hurting you..." Remorse laced his deep voice, his mind thinking back to his nightmare. Lana didn't respond, but she smiled back reassuringly. "Things will be different from now on, Lana. I promise." The doctor sealed his words with a kiss, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"Good." She whispered back. The couple cuddled for a while longer in silence, until Oliver remembered he had work in an hour. He checked his watch and bolted upright, releasing his lover. Lana frowned, wishing she were free from her chains to follow him. "You're leaving?" The journalist's voice was tiny, her expression sad.

Oliver glanced at his watch once more, then back at Lana as he dressed. "It's five in the morning. I have to be at work by six." The brunette sighed, stretching out in the bed. Reaching for the keys on his belt loop, Oliver walked back over and unchained the young woman. She peered at him curiously as he did so, stretching her ankle.

"Get some more rest. And then take a shower and be dressed by five. I'll be home around then. I'll have clothes laid out in my bedroom." Oliver explained, watching Lana carefully. The trust that had just been laid out between them was not lost on either party. "Don't make me regret this..." Oliver whispered, a hint of warning in his tone. Lana simply smiled and nodded her head. "Good girl." He murmured and kissed her forehead before bounding up the stairs and into the bathroom.

Lana relaxed into the bed as she heard the shower start. Finally fully relaxed for the first time in weeks, she curled up and drifted back to sleep. What did he have planned for her?

[TBC]


	4. Chapter 4

Confounding Feelings, Part 4.

Dr. Thredson found himself going through his work day not even paying attention to his patients. All his mind could think about was whether or not Lana was still at home now that he had granted her some freedom. Would she be waiting in the doorway with a knife? Had she escaped? Would he ever see her again? He truly couldn't picture his life without her in it. Perhaps it had been a huge oversight on his part to release her.

The doctor was now seated before one of his nameless patients, he couldn't remember her name for the life of him. As she spoke incoherently, he found himself tapping his pencil furiously against his notebook. "Doctor?" The girl must have been able to tell that he wasn't even paying attention to her ramblings. Oliver looked up at the young woman, rubbing at his temple as he sighed.

"We're done for today. Thank you." The girl looked at him sideways as she ducked out of the psychiatrist's office. Standing up from his desk, Oliver marched out of his office, locking the door as he went. He knew his shift wasn't over, but he knew nobody would stop him. Not even Sister Jude could stop him.

Speak of the devil, the nun rounded the corner before he could slip out undetected. "Dr. Thredson!" Oliver grit his teeth, cursing his employer. He had no choice but to stop and face her, otherwise he could lose his job. Thredson turned on his professional doctor persona as he turned and smiled at Sister Jude.

"You'll have to forgive me, Sister Jude, but there is a pressing matter that requires my attention." Automatically, the nun let out a sharp, mocking laugh. A cruel smirk graced her thin lips as she shook her head. "The doctor with no family to speak of has a pressing matter to attend to? What, do you have a sick cat or something?"

The psychiatrist found himself clenching his fists at her mocking words. He frowned slightly, unable to help it. "Actually, I have a girlfriend. She was hit by a car, and I have to go attend to her." Oliver figured his response was believable, but he should have known better than to have tried to fool Sister Jude. Her evil smirk only grew in length as she spoke. "Really? I thought you were gay."

His patience was truly being tested. Thredson released a tense hiss. "No, Sister Jude, I am not. Will you excuse me, or not?" His arms folded across his chest, wishing he could strangle the skinny religious figure.

Jude rolled her eyes, unfolding her arms. "Fine." Oliver sighed and moved to press on past her and out the door. "Just remember, I never forget anything, Thredson." The doctor paused at the doors at the sister's voice. He forced a smile and turned to look at her, mumbling a humble thank you. Oliver pressed on and made his way quickly to his car, speeding off to his house. His fingers were twitching anxiously against the steering wheel as he drove.

In a matter of a few minutes, he was home. Reaching for his keys, he took a deep breath before turning the key and stepping into his loft. "Lana?" The psychiatrist's voice was shaky as he called out. He stepped into his kitchen, automatically checking his knife block to see if any knives were missing. Not a thing was out of place, but the room was silent. He perused the other rooms.

Living room? Empty. Bathroom? Also empty. His bedroom? Oliver twisted the door knob, entering the master bedroom. The clothes he had laid out for Lana were missing. But she was no where to be found. His heart started hammering in his chest, worried that she had taken off. However, there was one last place to check: the basement.

He moved swiftly to the basement. The door was unlocked. The doctor had left it that way, hoping Lana would at least stretch her legs. He rounded the corner and his breath caught at the sight of Lana Winters, sitting on the bed she was previously chained to. There was no weapon on her person as far as he could tell. The journalist was wearing the red floral print dress he had bought for her, her face clean, her hair curled slightly.

"Hello, Oliver." Her sweet voice chimed as she smiled at him. Oliver released the breath hed was holding, his body relaxing as he smiled back. He moved closer to her, but didn't move to embrace her right away.

"Lana. You're still here?" The bespectacled man breathed, his dark eyes wide with disbelief. The brunette smiled up at him, nodding her head. The man briefly wondered if she had ulterior motives for staying. But her eyes showed nothing but adoration. He glanced at his watch, it was only 2 in the afternoon. If he hadn't come home early, would there have been a different outcome?

"Yes, I'm still here. You told me you had plans for us." Ms. Winters nervously straightened out her dress, uncertainty flickering across her features. The dress clung nicely to her curves, he noticed. "Has that changed?" She bit her full lips as she said this, looking up at Dr. Thredson.

"No. I just... I was nervous all day. I couldn't even focus." Oliver confessed, visibly deflating as he sat down next to her. Her small hand reached out to stroke his back as he continued speaking. "I was so scared that you wouldn't be here." The relief coursing through his body made him weak, he leaned his head on Lana's shoulder. She smelled of lilacs and roses, a welcome change to her usual stench. The doctor looked over to her, smiling half heartedly. "You look beautiful..." He reached a hand out to play with her curly locks.

The writer smiled brightly at him, a small thank you leaving her lips. Then she turned fully to embrace him, running her hand through his coifed black hair. "You look handsome as well." Lana complimented him, sighing as he returned her embrace, burying his face in her neck. After he had calmed down, Lana spoke again. "So what's this plan of your's?"

Oliver pulled away, smiling at her as he took her tiny hands into his own. "We're going to have dinner. What would you like?" Ms. Winters looked thoughtful for a second. When was the last time she had been offered a decent home cooked meal? She'd been stuck in Briarcliff for so long, the last time she had been cooked for was by Wendy. Her heart clenched painfully in her chest at the thought.

The doctor could see the different emotions flying across her face as he awaited her answer. "What are you thinking about?" He asked gently, feeling a stab of guilt as she responded.

"I just... I haven't had a home cooked meal in so long. I'm just so used to eating slop..." Lana didn't dare mention Wendy, too scared of how the doctor would react to such honesty. The writer gathered herself, thinking of what she would like to eat in order to quickly change the subject. "I would love some spaghetti."

Dr. Thredson smiled, shaking his head slightly. "Spaghetti? That's it?" It was such a simple dish, he expected her to want something a little fancier. He couldn't deny her what she wanted when she smiled that bright, toothy smile in his direction. She nodded emphatically. "Spaghetti it is. Would you like to assist me?" Lana nodded once more. Oliver smiled and took her hand into his. "Let's get to it, then." He pulled her up the stairs with him and into the kitchen.

Things went amazingly well at dinner. The two laughed and spoke like old friends as they made their food. Lana couldn't help but feel out of place. She shouldn't be getting along with Thredson. This is the same man who kidnapped her and killed her girlfriend. Yet here she was, having dinner with him as though he was a regular guy. However, his change of behavior was refreshing. The handsome man hadn't harmed her in a while, and as far as she knew, he hadn't killed anybody since she was captured. She often told herself she was only doing this so she could turn him in to the cops, but at this point, she wasn't sure she wanted to do so.

Maybe all Oliver needed was a little love? She certainly didn't love him, but she felt something for him now other than hatred. The doctor seemed to notice her sudden silence and raised a brow. "What's wrong, Lana?" Oliver's voice was thick with concern, his fingers laced on the table in front on him.

"I'm confused." Lana breathed before she could stop herself. Dr. Thredson said nothing, waiting for her to continue. "I just..." The writer's words were catching in her throat. She was terrified to speak her mind. Oliver was so quick to turn on a dime. So instead of going into detail, she summed up how she felt. "I'm scared. I never used to be so scared all the time. I have always been a strong person, but being with you..." Ms. Winters trailed off, meeting his dark brown eyes. She saw a flicker of hurt. At least it wasn't rage. "I'm scared." She summed up weakly.

Oliver sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose under his glasses. "I know. I know that you're scared. But I swear that I'm not going to hurt you anymore." His eyes were downcast towards the table as he spoke, his mind replaying his nightmare from the previous night. "I've changed, Lana."

The journalist could have laughed. That much was obvious. He hadn't forced himself on her in over a week and he hadn't moved to hit her, or kill her. "I can't change the past." Oliver continued. "But I can change the future. You have shown me the way, Lana." He reached across the table to hold her hands, their eyes meeting once again. Lana smiled nervously, her heart still hammering in her chest.

Perhaps part of her attraction to Oliver Thredson involved the sense of danger. She had always wanted to get inside the mind of a serial killer. And now she had. The rest of their meal was finished in silence after that. It was a comfortable silence. Once they were finished, Lana moved to clean their dishes and put away the leftovers. She couldn't shake the feeling of Oliver watching her as she did so. "This was nice." He said, his dark eyes following her every move. Lana turned to smile over her shoulder at him, scrubbing a plate as she responded.

"Yes, it was. Thank you." The psychiatrist stood and moved to embrace Lana from behind, catching her off guard. She dropped the dish she was washing as she held her breath. Oliver didn't move to kiss her or grind against her as he usually did. He simply held her, restinrg his chin on her shoulder. Deep down inside, the journalist wished he would make a move. Instead he whispered a soft "You're welcome" into her ear.

Thredson checked his watch, it was only seven. He had a couple of hours before he had to go to bed. "Do you want to watch a movie with me?" He asked, still embracing his Lana.

"But what about the dishes?" Her voice was worried as she turned to look over her shoulder at him.

The doctor simply smiled and grabbed her wrists. "Leave them."

So she did. The two moved into the living room. Oliver turned on the TV and popped a tape into the VCR. He didn't mention what they were about to watch. The tall man stretched out on the couch, laying down. He left enough space for her small body to cuddle against him as he patted the couch in a come hither manner. Lana laid beside him. Oliver curled around her, resting his chin on her head so he could see the television.

The movie was a drama. It was a story of a couple who loved one another, but couldn't be together, as they were separated by an arranged marriage. Lana found herself relating to the story in a way. She wondered briefly if that was the reason why Dr. Thredson had chosen this particular flick. He spoke quietly into her ear as the movie went on. "You see, Zachary was an orphan. He fell for Sarah because she was the only one to show him any kindness in his entire life. However, Sarah comes from a prestigious family, and her parents had already found a husband for her."

As he spoke, Oliver's hand had made it's way slightly up her dress, his large hand stoking her thigh. Lana shivered at the light touch. "Their love was never meant to be." His voice was quiet, and Lana could feel his eyes burning into the back of her head. If the story were a little more twisted, it could easily mirror their own.

Butterflies fluttered in Lana's stomach. Whether it was from Oliver stroking her leg, or how the movie's message was affecting her thought process, she didn't know. The writer moved her small hand to cover Oliver's, dragging his hand further up her dress.

For some reason, he resisted her and removed his hand. "Not tonight, Lana." A twisted part of Lana Winters wanted to say he could screw himself. He had forced himself on her in the past. What was wrong with her being so forward? He hadn't minded her being the aggressor in the before. As if sensing her distress, he spoke again. "Taking a day off could do us some good. It will make the next time that much more amazing..." Oliver's voice was thick with lust as he pinched her bottom playfully.

"Fine." Lana mumbled, slightly disappointed. The two continued watching the movie in silence. An hour later, Oliver had fallen asleep behind her. His arm that was draped over her stomach had fallen slack and she could hear his deep breathing. She was thankful that he was sleeping. The movie's ending was pulling at her heart strings. Tears were dripping from her brown eyes as she watched.

In the end, Zachary had killed himself because Sarah had pushed him away. She told him she could never love an orphan like him. Lana watched the final scene of Zach hanging from a noose, his body dangling lifelessly. She watched the credits until the screen faded to black. Turning onto her other side, she curled into Oliver's warm body, watching his sleeping face. She kissed his nose, wiping at her sore brown eyes.

Sleep overtook her in a matter of minutes, but not before kissing Oliver's parted lips goodnight. What kind of future was ahead of them? Would it turn out the same as the movie they had just watched? These were the thoughts that tortured Lana before everything faded to black.

[TBC]


	5. Chapter 5

Confounding Feelings, Part 5.

Lana awoke to the sun filtering in through the curtains of the room she was in. Startled, she took in her surroundings. The writer was still cuddled against Dr. Thredson on his living room couch. Oliver was sleeping soundly, his arms wrapped loosely around her. Her own hands were on his chest. There was static on the television, for they had never turned it off. She sighed in relief, glad to finally have some freedom.

She didn't dare move however, not wanting to disturb her partner. Lana peered over at a clock on the wall. It was ten o'clock. She wondered what day it was? Didn't Oliver have work? Against her better judgement she began pressing on his chest, attempting to wake him. Almost immediately, his dark brown eyes opened to meet hers. Thredson smiled, his strong arms tightening around her slightly. "Good morning, Lana." The doctor's voice was thick with sleep as he spoke.

"Good morning." The woman smiled meekly back, gently rubbing his chest. "What day is it?" Lana wondered if there was a reason Oliver wasn't itching to leave. He yawned, shrugging his shoulders as he did so. "It's Saturday. Why?"

"Don't you have work?" Lana asked. She was slightly nervous. She had never spent a whole day alone with him. Oliver often left for work, even on the weekends, saying that days off would only hinder his patient's progress.

A knowing smile crossed his lips as he shook his head. "No. And I don't plan on going in on my days off anymore. Sister Jude is a rude woman." Lana laughed, nodding her head in agreement. "She sure is."

Still smiling, Oliver pinched her bottom as he had last night. He could sense the anxiety coming off Lana in waves. "Are you scared to spend a whole day alone with me?" His voice was teasing, his eyes narrowing suspiciously as the journalist shook her head. "Don't lie to me, Lana." He said authoritatively.

"It's just... What will we do all day?" Ms. Winters bit her lip slightly, her stomach sick with anxiety. Oliver ran a hand through her hair, shrugging his shoulders again. "Whatever you want to do. We could have breakfast, take a shower." The psychiatrist watched her closely, her slight shaking subsiding. A smirk pulled at his lips at his next thought. His eyes darkened, his pupils noticeably dilating. Lana shivered, she knew what that look meant.

His large hand slipped up her dress, his fingers brushing lightly against the back of her thigh. "Or, we could explore each other's bodies a little more?" Oliver bent into her, pressing his lips to her neck. Lana couldn't help the moan that escaped her as he began sucking the sensitive skin. She gasped aloud as he bit into her neck, her hands moving up to tightly grip his shoulders. "You have no idea how hard it was to resist you last night." Oliver said gruffly into her ear, his hand slipping further up her dress to cup her butt.

The doctor pulled away from her, only to lean in to capture her lips with his. Lana sighed into the kiss, tilting her head to better accept his tongue in her mouth. Oliver moaned as he swept his tongue along her's, grinding against her as he did so. Lana could feel his hardness pressing against her, a jolt of arousal pooling in her belly at the realization. Oliver Thredson truly was a talented lover when he actually tried. A kiss alone from Wendy had never been enough to excite her. It usually took a little more for her to become aroused.

But with Oliver, it was instantaneous. From the second his lips caressed her neck, Lana could feel the burn of his passion. She was still incredibly confounded at his effect on her. What was it about the doctor that made her so responsive all of the sudden? Sure, he was handsome. He was a good kisser and had amazing hands to boot. But how unpredictable he was should make her trepidatious.

It had the opposite effect on Lana Winters. His sudden changes from rough to soft made her toes curl. Oliver's lips were moving relentlessly against hers, unbuttoning her dress in the back as he went. He peeled her dress off, parting from her to take a look at her bare state. Lana's nipples were a light pink, just the right size and puckered in arousal. Oliver bent to take one into his mouth, sucking the skin lightly. Lana moaned, threading her fingers into his messy black hair.

He switched to the other one, giving it proper treatment. His teeth scraped against it teasingly as he moved down her body. The doctor's talented tongue swept under her breasts, before trailing kisses down her stomach. Oliver's lips stopped short of where she needed him most. Lana sighed as he kissed her abdomen, his hands holding tightly onto her hips to prevent their relentless grinding. "Don't tease me, Oliver." Lana said breathlessly, tugging urgently at his hair. She could feel him smirk sadistically against her skin.

"I want to take my time with you. What's the rush?" Thredson teased, looking up at her, grinning mischievously. Lana attempted to squirm against his strong hands, pressing her legs together to feel some kind of relief. Was he trying to kill her? His kisses continued, moving to the top of her hairless mound. Dr. Thredson didn't move any further down right away. Lana could feel his hot breath against her. He moved down to her thighs, licking the line where her leg met her pelvis.

"Oliver!" Lana cried, her head thrown back as she began quivering. Oliver looked up, his whole body tense as he watched her. God, he needed her. But timing was everything, and he wanted to tease her more. Relenting a little, one of his hands released her hip and moved to part her folds. A sharp moan was drawn from his partner as he did so. Lana was panting harshly, her back arching as he rubbed one of his knuckles teasingly against her clit.

She was so wet, so ready for him. It took all of Oliver's control not to free himself and fuck her furiously. He had never seen Lana so desperate and willing. The psychiatrist removed his finger, bringing it up to his lips for a taste. Lana's brown eyes watched as he did so, trembling from his endless torment. Oliver sat up, beginning to unbutton his dress shirt. Their eyes were locked on one another as he did so. The doctor couldn't help the smirk as he peeled his shirt off. Lana sat up as well, running her hands down his chest. Her brown eyes took in his physique appreciatively. Thredson would be lying if he said the look didn't thrill him to his core.

Oliver unbuckled his belt, pulling it off. He pulled Lana's hands away from his chest and pushed her back down on the couch. He pulled her arms above her head and used his belt to fasten her wrists together. Lana's heart was beating out of her chest as he did so, watching him with a twinge of fear in her eyes. She was reassured, however, as their eyes met and she saw the unbridled lust in his dark eyes. No sign of insanity, thankfully. "Trust me." Oliver whispered, winking at her as he removed his glasses and placed them on the coffee table.

He then moved back down her body, his fingers leaving a burning trail down her sides as he went. He stopped at her sex, parting her with his tongue. Oliver kept his hands on her hips, preventing her body from moving. Lana cried out as his tongue flicked against her clit, her eyes taking in the lewd sight of him going down on her. Goosebumps broke out on her skin as their eyes met. Oliver's eyes were black as he watched her twist under his ministrations. It was so erotic, Lana found herself straining against the restraint of the belt.

"Oliver! Please don't stop!" The writer cried out wantonly. Oliver moaned against her, the vocalization vibrating against her clit as he did so. When his tongue slipped inside of her and began thrusting, Lana wiggled restlessly, wishing she could dig her nails into the couch cushions. He was unrelenting in his assault, and right as she was about to come, he stopped suddenly. Oliver could feel her slick walls beginning to convulse around his tongue and stopped just in time. Lana cried out in agony, writhing as best she could against her restraints.

"Oh my God! Damn you, Thredson!" The young woman whined, glaring down at Oliver's smiling face. He exuded masculine pride as he watched her. He was panting slightly, his hair even more ruffled from her earlier rough treatment. "Please, Oliver! I can't take it!" Lana whimpered, her body straightening out like a board as she stretched desperately.

Moving back on top of her, Oliver's eyes flashed dangerously as he got in her face. One of his hands roughly grasped onto Lana's brown hair, pulling her head back slightly. The other hand moved to begin groping her breast as he bent in to whisper darkly into her ear. "What do you need, Lana? Do you need my cock inside you? Pounding you and making you come until you can't come anymore? Huh?" His tongue swept along the writer's neck as he awaited her response. The doctor refused to make a move until she begged him even more. Although it was killing him not to relieve the mounting arousal.

"I need you inside of me!" Lana Winters sighed, her legs shaking from the suspense. She wished that her hands were free so she could take a hold of his shoulders and mount him herself. The journalist was finally free in another sense, however. No longer did she have the nagging feeling that wanting him was wrong. So she wasn't exactly one hundred percent attracted to women anymore. So what? She was tired of denying herself the things she wanted. "Oliver, I'm begging you, make love to me." The writer's breath was naught but a sigh as she waited for Oliver to make a move.

The larger man lifted her into his lap, a profound look in his eyes. Make love to her? The words made his toes tingle in anticipation, his heart sped up at their meaning. Oliver unbound Lana's wrists, allowing her to touch him. The first thing she did was cup his face with both hands and lean in for a kiss. The kiss was sweet, their tongues touching as though they were hesitant lovers. Lana moaned into the kiss, her small hands moving down from Oliver's handsome face to his pants. She pulled them off slowly, with Oliver kicking them off in order to help her along.

Once they were both fully nude, Oliver pulled Lana back into his lap and wasted no time plunging inside her silky, slick depths. Both moaned at the joining of their bodies. Only moments ago he wanted to fuck her, but now, he wanted to connect with her. Dr. Thredson had grown up without human contact, so he found himself sighing as Ms. Winters placed her palms on his pecs, squeezing gently. Oliver set a slow pace, his hands coming up to hold Lana's back as he looked into her sweet brown eyes.

He noticed tears had gathered in her eyes as he thrusted deep inside her, their bodies rolling against each other. Their sighs were impassioned as they moved, and the tears were now rolling down Lana's cheeks. Oliver reached up and used his thumbs to brush them away. "Shh, baby. It's okay." He whispered, their eyes locked on one another as they moved in sync. Thredson wanted to ask why she was crying, but somehow he already knew. It wasn't because he was hurting her, it was because their relationship was different now.

No longer were they simply acting on lust, no longer were they strangers to one another. In this very moment they were lovers. Lana was probably scared of the emotions running through her tiny body. Oliver noticed that she was still shaking as he took ahold of her hips, rocking deep inside of her, hitting that special spot that made her cry out. Their eyes were locked onto one another as they moaned. "Lana, you feel so good..." Oliver said reverently, his black eyes finally left hers to look down at their grinding bodies. The doctor watched as his cock disappeared inside of her again and again. With a groan, he closed his eyes. He knew he would come quickly if he kept watching the erotic sight. He didn't want that. Oliver wanted to make this moment last for as long as he could.

Lana's cries were hoarse, her voice was weak from their extended foreplay. Even still, she keened low in her throat as Oliver's thrusts picked up in speed. Her hips rocked with his as she gripped tightly onto his broad shoulders. "I'm so close, Oliver!" She cried out suddenly, her eyes wide in desperation. Dr. Thredson's eyes snapped open at her exclamation. He watched as her face twisted in pleasure, her mouth open as she cried in time with each of his thrusts.

"Come for me, baby! Come on!" Oliver grit out the command through his teeth as he moved as fast as humanly possible. Lana cried out his name one last time, before becoming perfectly still as she came hard. The spasming of her release triggered Oliver to come not long after, he hissed through his teeth as his orgasm shook his body. Lana leaned her head weakly against Oliver's shoulder as they both panted, neither one moving a muscle.

The doctor sighed as the two of them stayed connected, his hands coming up to rub the smooth skin of her back as her violent shaking subsided. That was easily the best orgasm Lana Winters ever had. She locked her long legs around Oliver's waist as she sighed heavily. "That was amazing." She whispered. Oliver nodded in agreement, his hands still rubbing softly up and down her back. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her. There was no doubt in his mind that he did, but he was too terrified of Lana's possible rejection to say anything. Now troubled by his thoughts, the psychiatrist moved to untangle himself from the writer's embrace. Lana held on tightly, preventing him from moving an inch.

"Stay." Lana whispered into his ear. Oliver sighed shakily and embraced her tightly. He had never felt so powerless in his entire life. Was this what love did to people? Did it make them feel weak, feel vulnerable? One thing was for sure, he didn't like it one bit. The feeling couldn't be helped, however. Oliver Thredson had fallen in love with Lana Winters. He took comfort in the fact that the small woman was rubbing his back. He'd finally found someone who could touch him without running in the other direction. His heart clenched painfully at the realization.

"What's wrong?" The journalist mumbled quietly. Oliver hadn't even noticed that tears began falling down his cheeks, dripping onto Lana's bare shoulder in the process. The doctor wiped them away quickly, shaking his head as he did so.

"Nothing is wrong." He paused, playing with the idea of telling her how he truly felt. Oliver made his decision. What was the point of hiding this information from her? Surely Lana would find out eventually. "I love you, Lana." Oliver's voice was like smooth melted chocolate as he confessed his feelings. Lana's eyes were wide as saucers as she pulled back slightly to look into her partner's eyes. All she found in his dark brown depths were affection and insecurity. When she didn't respond right away, the psychiatrist rambled on. "You don't have to say anything. I don't expect you to love me back. I never even expected to fall for you in the first place, but here we are. I just-"

Lana cut him off with a small smile. "Oliver," her hands cupped his cheeks as she shook her head. The brunette could see the mix of emotions flash through his eyes. Fear, love, confusion, insecurity. She leaned in to kiss him lightly on the lips as she smiled brightly. "I love you, too." It was as if the world stood still as Lana mumbled those very words. Oliver let out a breath of relief as he smiled back at her, pulling her back into a tight embrace.

Ms. Winters could feel Dr. Thredson trembling ever so slightly as they curled into one another. Lana couldn't help but feel slightly guilty. What she had said wasn't entirely a lie. She did feel something for the doctor, she truly did. But she wasn't entirely convinced that it was love just yet. There was still the fact that she was still technically his captive. He couldn't be trusted, he was still so volatile. That much was obvious from his shaking as they cuddled together. Deep down inside, Oliver Thredson would always be that sad child who was abandoned by his mother. It would take a lot of healing to get him back to normal.

Lana wasn't sure she could fully change his ways. But when she had felt his tears on her shoulder, she knew she had to try. She briefly looked over her shoulder to see what time it was. "It's almost noon." Oliver's baritone voice in her ear startled her. He nipped playfully at her lobe before she turned back to face him. He was smirking at her, all traces of sadness and anxiety gone from his features. "Did you work up an appetite?" There was that hint of male pride in his tone as he jokingly wiggled his thick eyebrows at her.

Lana laughed sharply, smacking him lightly on his shoulder. "You're too much." She giggled. "But yes, brunch sounds lovely." Oliver laughed also, moving to stand and held out his hand to help her up as well. "We should probably get dressed first..." Suddenly Lana was self conscious as she spoke, folding her arms across her chest as she looked down at the beige carpet.

Oliver hooked a finger under her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "If you could be naked all the time, I would encourage it." He said, a hint of lust in his tone as he leered at her. The journalist blushed, shaking her head. Thredson laughed, and removed her arms from her chest. "I'll make you a deal then, since you're so shy. I'll remain naked if you will also." As he said this, Lana found her eyes sweeping down Oliver's body. She blushed at the taboo idea, but found herself nodding her head regardless. "Let's get to it, then."

Dr. Thredson was true to his word. Grabbing his glasses, himself and Lana moved into the kitchen and he began making pancakes in the nude. Ms. Winters perched herself on a chair, her eyes watching the muscles of his back strain as he worked. The whole idea was oddly erotic. Oliver was clearly distracted by her nakedness. He often looked over his shoulder as he cooked, his blackened eyes taking in her bare body. "You should pay better attention to what you're doing..." Lana reprimanded playfully. Their eyes met and they both began laughing.

"I can't help myself around you..." Oliver shrugged, turning back to his pancake flipping. Once he was finished cooking, he topped the pancakes with syrup, strawberries and whipped cream. Now Lana's mouth was watering for more than one reason. He set a plate before her and sat next to her. Often the bespectacled man sat across from her. She figured his closeness had to do with the fact that he was itching to touch her.

The journalist was correct. Between bites, the esteemed doctor reached out to brush her shoulder, or run his finger teasingly between the valley of her breasts. Lana shook off her shyness, returning the light touches. The brunette trailed her nails lightly down Oliver's chest. She could feel the power that coursed through her as he shivered slightly at the touch. "Lana..." Thredson breathed. The writer sat up a bit to get a peek at his manhood. She blushed furiously at his turgid state and turned back to pick at her pancakes.

Oliver had noticed her checking him out and laughed at her embarrassment. "As I said, I cannot help myself around you." Lana said nothing, honestly surprised that he had become so easily aroused by her light touches. At the same time she never felt more in control. At least she could influence him just as easily as he could her. They finished their meal with quiet conversation and Lana moved automatically to clean the dishes.

The psychiatrist grabbed her wrist before she could get far. "Don't. We can take care of them tomorrow. I need you now..." Oliver mumbled, his voice heavy with lust as he pulled her into his arms. Round 2 already? Lana felt her body grow hot at the eagerness of her lover. She nodded numbly, letting herself be carried by Oliver into his bedroom. It was a profound idea to take her into his bedroom, Oliver decided. They have yet to make love properly, and he intended to give her the full experience.

Lana's heart was beating out of her chest as Oliver laid her down on his black silk sheets. She relished the exquisite feeling beneath her as she writhed against the material. The writer gasped as her lover pinned her wrists above her head and crawled on top of her. She could feel his girth pressing against her as he leaned in to ravage her full lips. Their tongues danced as Oliver's cock began thrusting between her folds, the tip hitting her clit over and over again.

She had been dripping wet from the moment Oliver suggested they eat in the nude. Add a stack of delicious pancakes on top of that and she had more than enough energy for what was about to take place. She moaned as Oliver broke their kiss, his teeth biting lightly on her lower lip as their lips parted. Her partner was unforgiving as he moved against her, her body already over stimulated from their last romp on the couch. It wasn't long before she was quaking underneath him, his thrusting against her clit becoming faster and faster. Oliver's voice was hoarse in her ear as he moved, his fingers lacing with her's as he sighed in time with his jerky movements.

Lana cried out, her nails curling into Oliver's hands hard enough to leave crescent shaped moons on the back of his skin. He grunted at the pain, yet relished it at the same time. He slowed his pace down when he saw Lana was about to reach her precipice, and laughed out loud at the disappointed expression that crossed her pretty face. How he loved to torture her in bed. She dug her nails into him even harder, hard enough to draw blood, and Oliver hissed through his teeth.

Lana knew her partner's sadistic ways and leaned in to start biting his neck. The pain made the doctor grind harder against her, his breathing harsh and ragged. With one particularly hard bite, Oliver stopped his movements, and then pulled back to thrust inside of her. "Oliver!" Lana cried his name, her head falling back against the pillow as he held completely still. He was buried deep inside her, their eyes locking on one another. Sweat had beaded on Oliver's brow as his hands tightened around hers. It took all of the doctor's self control not to plow into her.

The stillness of him inside of her was driving Lana Winters mad. He was pressed against where she needed him most, and her hips wriggled to find relief. With a grunt, Oliver began moving, setting a slow but steady pace. Lana was wetter than ever, making it easier for him to glide quickly within her. He didn't want to come too quickly. He had to slow it down.

The two of them danced a dance as old as time, the lovers sighing with each slow stroke. Oliver released Lana's hands and instead began squeezing her breasts, rolling the nipples between his thumbs and forefingers. The sensation made her gasp and tilt her head back. The psychiatrist was looking down upon her, his eyes shining with both love and lust as he thrust languidly inside of her.

"Oliver! I need... I need..." Lana's statement stopped short as she squealed. Oliver had bent his head to suck on her nipple, his other hand still tweaking insistently on the other one. With one of his hands free now, he reached between their sweaty bodies to rub her clitoris. The brunette's mouth opened in a silent cry as Oliver doubled his efforts, panting on top of her as he picked up the pace.

"Oh I know what you need, baby." Oliver grunted through his teeth, his eyes trailing down her body. The doctor loved watching her twist beneath him. He would never tire of her body. "God, I love you so much, Lana." The dark haired man confessed, his eyes meeting her's once again. Lana reached her hands up to cup his face, her lips pulling into a small smile. "I love you too."

Hearing her say it twice made Oliver's heart flutter for the first time since he'd first seen her. God, how she had changed. Lana Winters was flying free when he'd first seen her at Kit Walker's sentencing. And now she was a caged bird. At the very least, she didn't seem miserable anymore. How could she be when she twisted under him, her brows pinched, her voice high pitched as her cries echoed throughout his bedroom?

Lana's hips began snapping insistently against his own, clearly demanding a faster pace. Determined, Oliver braced himself, his hands on either side of Lana's head as he began moving faster and harder inside her. He needed as much leverage as possible to pound into her the way he was now. The journalist and the doctor's eyes locked onto each other as they moaned in desperate pleasure. Ms. Winter's hands had made her way down to Oliver's buttocks, her hands groping the soft skin she found there.

The force of their love making was shaking the bed. It was so intense that Lana couldn't resist screaming, her toes curling as a white hot fire burned through her. She was so close, on the verge of a powerful orgasm. What sent her over the edge was Oliver's erotic words rasping into her ear. "Fuck yes, Lana. I'm gonna come. Unh God, I'm gonna come." Lana cried out his name in response as she came with him. She could feel his hot seed spurting inside of her as she clenched around him.

Oliver fell completely slack on top of Lana and took the breath right out her. At her weak gasp, he gathered the strength to roll over. The couple managed to catch their breath, before looking at each other and giggling like school children. "So... What should we do now?" The doctor asked coquettishly, turning on his side to fully face Lana.

"I am so dizzy..." The writer panted. She moved in closer to Oliver, cuddling against his sweat slicked body. "Can we rest for a little bit?" Who was he to argue that idea? He was exhausted. The doctor wrapped himself protectively around his lover's smaller body and nodded against her head. The two drifted off peacefully for once, not a single question bothering their tired minds.


	6. Chapter 6

Confounding Feelings, Part 6.

Lana Winters awoke to the smell of garlic and the sound of clanging in what she assumed was the kitchen. She stretched, waking up slowly from her brief nap. Oliver wasn't next to her, she noticed. Her whole body was sore as she checked the alarm clock on her partner's bedside. It was six o'clock in the evening. Lana considered getting up to go help the doctor prepare whatever he was making for dinner, but ultimately decided against it. She was far too comfortable and far too worn out.

The writer spent some time alone with her thoughts. Today had been something she'd never experienced before. Between their love confessions and their intense love making, Lana was left utterly confused. She had never felt something so strongly for a man. Let alone a man who had done the awful things that Oliver Thredson had done.

She allowed herself to think back to when she had first met the handsome man. Oliver had been nothing but kind to her, a guiding hand in the darkness that was Briarcliff. The doctor had taken Lana under his wing and had even gone so far as to give her a picture of Wendy Peyser. Clearly he was a multifaceted individual. The past week and the week before had been proof enough of that. It was a complete 180. She prayed to a God that she didn't believe in that he didn't change once again.

Lana's thoughts left her nervous enough to want to stretch her legs. She rose from the comfortable bed, despite her body's protest, and made her way into the kitchen. Dr. Thredson stood in front of the stove top, stirring a pot full of pasta. "Oh, there you are, Lana. Good evening." Oliver greeted, a small grin crossing his lips as he looked over at her. Even disheveled from sleep, Lana Winters was heartbreakingly beautiful. Her brown hair was tangled, light hickeys decorated her neck. She was still naked and Oliver's heart raced at the sight. He repressed a groan as his body responded instantly to her nakedness.

"Good evening. That smells delicious!" Lana greeted, a small grin gracing her lips. Oliver's eyes glanced down at her body before meeting her gaze once again. He smirked at her, stirring the sauce in the pot next to the pasta as he spoke. "I figured you'd be hungry. I'm making some pasta and garlic bread." The writer breathed deep through her nose, sighing at the pleasing scent.

"I'm starving." Lana said as she moved to place her hand over Oliver's that was stirring the sauce pot. He relinquished the cooking tool, allowing her to assist him. The two stirred in silence for a few moments, until Dr. Thredson let out an annoyed groan, throwing his head back as he did so. "What's wrong?" Lana asked meekly, wondering if she had done something wrong.

"I forgot to pick up Parmesan cheese." Oliver bit out between his clenched teeth, his dark brown eyes rolling at his own forgetfulness. "I've been such a space case, lately." The doctor sighed, staring down at their food for a moment until an idea stuck him. His eyes lit up as he turned to look at Lana. "Would you mind going to the store to pick some up? You could take my car, I'll give you money and everything."

Lana Winters could have gasped aloud at the statement. Oliver Thredson was asking her to leave the house while she was still technically his captive. There had to be a catch. Not only that, if anyone were to recognize her, they'd surely throw her right back in Briarcliff. "Oliver... I'm not so sure that's a good idea..." The journalist's voice was on edge with anxiety as she spoke. She released the spoon she was stirring with to nervously wring her fingers.

Oliver smiled reassuringly in her direction, his free hand rubbing her shoulder gently. "I trust you. Besides, there's a grocery store five minutes from my house. It shouldn't take you more than ten minutes." He said, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly. "I can't go with you. Someone has to stay and finish cooking." The psychiatrist added.

"What if someone sees me?" Lana's voice was tiny, a feeling of dread settling in her stomach. The bespectacled man's eyes softened in sympathy. Lana wasn't going to run off on him, he realized. She was worried about being seen by someone and being taken back to that god forsaken mental asylum. He was momentarily reassured by her worry.

"As I said, you'll be in and out of there. I would be genuinely surprised if you saw someone you knew." Oliver stopped stirring his pasta to embrace her. His mouth was by her ear as he whispered reassuring words. "You can do it, Lana. I believe in you." The doctor reached into his pocket and gave her a twenty dollar bill. "Now go get dressed. While you're there, pick up something you like." With that said, Oliver patted her bare bottom and smiled encouragingly at her.

Nervous, but determined, Lana moved into the living room and pulled on the red dress Oliver had bought her. It was somewhat wrinkled from being scrunched up at the foot of the couch. She glanced herself over at a mirror on the wall and smiled at her reflection. She could do this. The journalist made her way back out into the kitchen and looked at Oliver expectantly. He handed her his keys, glancing up from his cooking to meet her gaze. "There you go. You look lovely." He reached his free hand out to smooth out her messy hair, trying to tame her wild mane. "I'll see you soon." Oliver leaned in for one last kiss, still smiling brightly in her direction. All Lana could do was smile and nod in return, before turning and walking out the front door.

Lana Winters made her way out to Oliver's car and as she started the vehicle, she found herself having second thoughts. As bad as things had been with Dr. Thredson in the past, they were nothing compared to the hell of Briarcliff. She was still technically an escapee of the institution and should anyone of authority see her, she'd be thrown back in the nuthouse. Besides, things with Oliver were going well. Why should she take such a huge risk?

Lana's tiny hands were gripping the steering wheel tightly as she attempted to gather her wits. Shaking her head, she peeled out of the driveway and made her way in the direction of the grocery store. Oliver was correct, she was there in minutes. Luckily she had nothing but green lights to hasten her little excursion. The writer parked close to the building in case she had to make an escape. Her worried mind was busy imagining all the things that could go wrong. She turned off the car and made her way inside briskly. Even though no one was looking at her, she felt as though all eyes were on her. The brunette navigated her way to the Parmesan cheese, holding it in her folded arms.

Feeling a little more relaxed now, she wondered to herself what she wanted for a treat. After the stress that this adventure had made her experience, Lana made her way to the wine aisle and picked out a nice Pinot Noir. She made her way to the checkout, and also picked up a pack of cigarettes. As the girl at the checkout scanned Lana's items, she attempted to make conversation after greeting her. "I love your dress. Where did you get it?"

Lana smiled nervously at the cashier, folding her hands against the cloth of the dress. How should she word this? Well, the guy who'd taken her in had bought it for her, after changing from a psychopath into the ideal man. Surely she couldn't say that. "My boyfriend bought it for me." Lana said, a bright smile gracing her features. The cashier smiled back, handing Lana her items and her change after she had paid for them. "Well, he has impeccable taste. Have a good night!"

"Thank you, you too." The writer mumbled before ducking quickly out of the building. She made her way to Oliver's car with quickened feet and looked nervously around her to see if anyone was watching her. Thankfully, there weren't too many people out and about, so she slipped into the car unnoticed. She got into the vehicle, placing her groceries on the passenger seat. She started the car and cranked out of the parking lot. On her way home, she hit her first red light. Just her luck. She sat there impatiently, her heart racing as she noticed a car pulling up next to her in the other lane.

A voice in Lana's head told her not to look over at the driver, but curiosity made her take a peek anyway. Her heart nearly stopped in her chest at the sight of Sister Mary Eunice in the driver's seat. Thankfully, she wasn't looking over in the journalist's direction. But nonetheless, Lana couldn't fight the urge to punch the gas, to run through the red light to escape being seen. What were the chances of running into the sweet nun on the one night she actually left the house? Lana clenched the steering wheel until her knuckles were white as she waited for the light to change. She forced herself to keep her face forward, using her hair as a curtain to block her face.

The writer couldn't help herself and took one more look at Mary Eunice as the light turned green. Her heart stopped as she met the nun's eyes. She was smiling, almost in a sadistic way, and Lana stomped on the gas, speeding past the blonde woman. She looked in her rearview mirrors to see if Mary was following her. Thankfully, she had turned right at the light and was no longer anywhere near her.

The brunette couldn't help the tears that fell from her eyes as she drove, her breath coming out in harsh pants as she sobbed. Lana pulled into Oliver's driveway a minute later. She quickly turned off the car, grabbed her groceries and ran into the house. She was frantic as she unlocked the door and burst into the kitchen. Oliver had already finished cooking as he smiled over at her. His smile quickly dissipated as she ran to him, sobbing heavily as she threw her arms around him. "What's wrong, Lana?" Dr. Thredson asked quietly, embracing her tightly as his hands ran up and down her back. All the young woman did was sob into his chest, her small hands shaking as they clenched at his back. The doctor could feel her heart beating frantically against his torso as they embraced. He couldn't help but feel rage as thoughts flew through his worried mind. If anyone had laid a hand on her, they would die a horrible death.

Now scared that something awful had happened, Oliver grasped Lana by her shoulders and pulled away from the tight embrace. He looked her over carefully. She had no marks of any kind, she looked exactly the same as she had since she left the house. Relief that no physical harm had come to his lover ran through the psychiatrist's body. "Lana," his voice was firm, his hands still gripping her shoulders as he shook her slightly. "Please tell me what happened."

Through her sobs, the young woman spoke shakily. "Sis-sister Mary Eu-Eunice." Lana said nothing more, her hands still shaking in front of her as she released her partner's back, her eyes meeting his desperately as she cried.

Oliver's heart skipped a beat, his mouth hanging open in surprise. She had been gone for all of fifteen minutes and she'd run into someone she knew? For a moment, the bespectacled man hoped she was lying. He should have known better, for he hadn't seen her cry like this in a long time. "What about her?" Thredson managed to speak, shock still written all over his face.

Lana gasped through her tears like a small child, the sobs making it harder for her to speak. "Sh-She saw m-me. At a re-red light. Bu-But she didn't f-follow me..." Oliver Thredson's heart broke at the pure fear he saw in Ms. Winters' eyes. He pulled her back into his strong arms, his large hands running soothingly up and down her back as he shushed her.

"Shh, baby, it's okay now. You're safe with me. I won't let them take you away." The doctor's voice betrayed the anxiety he felt coursing through him at the moment. He sounded calm and comforting. Though, deep down, he was terrified. If Mary Eunice recognized both Lana and his car, he was in deep shit. He prayed that the nun was ignorant and said nothing about what she saw. He didn't want to have to kill again, but he would if it meant keeping Lana by his side. "This is all my fault." Oliver spoke regretfully, his voice a quiet whisper against his lover's ear. If he hadn't have made Lana leave the house, they wouldn't be in this mess.

His girl was shaking her head adamantly, her eyebrows narrowing slightly at his declaration. "No, O-Oliver. You couldn't control this. You had no idea that she would be out there." Lana said, her tears were beginning to slow and her voice was becoming easier to understand. Oliver's brows furrowed, and he opened his mouth to speak when the phone began ringing. The two of them jumped, both jarred from their conversation. Now angered, Oliver moved to answer the phone. Lana was right behind him, her hand resting between his shoulder blades.

"Hello?" Oliver answered, his voice tense with barely concealed anger. Lana was right next to him, her ear pressed to the opposite side of the receiver. The doctor placed a hand on her lower back protectively.

"Dr. Thredson! I hope I'm not interrupting anything!" The couple froze at the voice on the phone. It was not Sister Eunice, but Sister Jude. "I was just calling because I have some interesting information about a patient of your's..." Sister Jude continued, her voice having it's usual knowing edge. Lana watched as Oliver's hand tightened around the phone, his handsome face down turned in anger.

"Please go on." Oliver said, pulling Lana even closer to his body, attempting to quell her nervous energy. They both listened as Jude continued speaking condescendingly. "Well, it would appear as though Ms. Lana Winters was spotted outside of the asylum tonight. We haven't seen any sign of her in weeks. I'm sure you've been worried." A heavy silence hung in the air and Oliver tried to piece together an appropriate response. He couldn't seem too attached, or else he wouldn't be able to play this off.

"That is interesting. And I'm glad you called, Sister Jude, however I am in the middle of eating my dinner. Perhaps we could meet about this situation tomorrow morning?" His voice remained professional and surprisingly calm as he spoke. Lana smiled up at Oliver, her hand rubbing between his shoulders in reward for his good behavior. Oliver smiled back down at her, his fist loosening it's tight grip on the phone.

"Of course. I will meet with you at 7 a.m, Thredson. Do not be late." Sister Jude's voice left no room for bullshit. Oliver laughed slightly, his eyes rolling at the nun's over inflated ego. The woman acted as if she owned him. It was adorable.

"Yeah, sure." Thredson responded nonchalantly, not even sure that he would attend that very meeting. "Good night, Sister." The nun responded with a tense good night as the conversation ended. Oliver hung up the phone, turning to face the shorter woman as he laughed. "That woman is an ego maniac! She is utterly insane if she thinks I'm going in on my day off just to speak to her about this garbage!"

Lana's mouth pulled into a thin line disapprovingly as she shook her head. "You have to, Oliver! She will know something is up if you don't!"

Oliver shrugged his shoulders, his hand pressing on Lana's lower back as he guided them both back into the kitchen. "If it truly worries you, Lana, I will go. But I will be back within an hour. I would much prefer spending more time with you." He bent down slightly to kiss her cheek as he pulled out a chair for her, helping her to take a seat. "Now, let us eat." Oliver dished out the pasta, taking the Parmesan cheese out of the paper bag and sprinkled it over their meal. He noticed the wine and cigarettes with a smile as he also gave them each a few pieces of garlic bread. "That wine looks delicious. Would you mind sharing with me?" Oliver asked, his beautiful smile winning Lana over.

"Of course. Help yourself." The psychiatrist grabbed a corkscrew out of a drawer and began pulling the cork out of the bottle. He grabbed a couple of wine glasses, and poured them each a handsome amount of the stuff. As he took his seat, he grinned at Lana, raising his glass to toast with her. The delicate glasses clinked together as they said their cheers and took a sip. Lana moaned as the dark liquid coated her throat. How she had missed the taste of red wine. Ironically, she found herself thinking back to the last time she had a glass of the bittersweet alcohol. It was presented to her the first night she had come to Oliver's house. It had been a pleasant experience at first, until she had discovered all of the doctor's darkest secrets.

Trying her best not to dwell on the past, Lana took another big gulp of the wine. Oliver smiled at her from across the table as he began eating his pasta. "So, I see that the treats you've chosen for yourself are cigarettes and wine." His deep voice was slightly higher with a teasing undertone as he spoke. "You remind me of myself even more with each passing day..." Lana laughed, shaking her head. They were very similar in many ways, and yet completely different at the same time.

"Perhaps that's part of our attraction to one another." Lana said, taking another sip of her wine between tiny bites of pasta. Oliver couldn't help the giant smile that crossed his face. He loved when Lana admitted her affections for him. The writer really had come a long way. "This pasta is really good, by the way."

"Thank you. It's a white sauce with some garlic added." Dr. Thredson said as he twisted the pasta with his fork. "It needs the Parmesan cheese to balance out the garlic, though. Otherwise the taste is overpowering." Ms. Winters could already feel her head swimming, her vision blurring slightly from intoxication. She was drinking too fast. Her tolerance had gone down now that she didn't drink as often. The journalist tended to babble when she was drunk.

"I can taste that. You are such an amazing cook, you know that? And you're an awesome doctor. Not to mention you're perfection in bed." Lana rambled, the tone of the conversation becoming sultry. Her hand reached across the table to lightly trace her nails down the back of his hand. Oliver's eyes darkened automatically, his lips were smirking seductively in her direction. "I love your hands, your mouth, your tongue..." Lana's voice trailed off, her meal half eaten and forgotten as she continued caressing the smooth skin of his hand.

Oliver laughed, his head thrown back slightly. "Lana Winters, you are drunk." A blush heated Lana's cheeks at his teasing, her head lowering slightly in shame. She started to pull her hand away, until Oliver caught her hand with lightning fast reflexes. "That doesn't mean I don't appreciate your flirting." The psychiatrist stood, still holding her hand, but moved to sit next to her. "Please, continue." Thredson's voice was smooth as velvet and low in tone as he spoke. He reached his free hand out to caress Lana's cheek.

The journalist peeked at him shyly through her long eyelashes as she worked up the courage to continue speaking. "You are the only man I have ever felt so strongly for... You're the only person I want... The only person I need..." Dr. Thredson could see the tears gathering in Lana's brown eyes as she spoke. "Please don't let them take me away..." Lana whispered, her hand clenching tightly onto Oliver's. Oliver removed his glasses, putting them on the table as he leaned in to put an arm around the smaller woman's shoulders.

"I will not let those monsters take you from me, Lana. I promise." His voice was quiet, but consoling. Lana leaned dizzily onto his shoulder, closing her eyes tightly to keep the tears from spilling. She was so sick of crying all the goddamn time. The brunette sighed weakly as Oliver hushed her, whispering warm and comforting words into her ear. His hand was stroking soothingly up and down her back and it was putting her to sleep. Mentally exhausted and drunk, she forced herself to lift her head from Oliver's shoulder and meet his worried gaze.

"Can we please go to sleep now?" Lana's voice was meek, her expression tired. Oliver nodded, paying no mind to their unfinished meal. He hooked an arm around her waist, pulling her up from the chair and into his bedroom. Oliver shut the door and locked it. Wordlessly, he pulled off her dress and his own clothes and laid them both down in the bed. Lana's body automatically sought his in the dark, cuddling close to his warm body. "Oliver..." The writer could still feel how drunk she was as she caressed her partner's slightly scruffy cheek. The doctor regarded her with adoration as the young woman leaned in to kiss his lips. Her shy tongue swept teasingly against his lower lip, their tongues meeting tentatively. She pulled away after a couple of minutes and Oliver moaned at the loss of her lips. "I love you..." The young woman whispered, leaning her head weakly against Thredson's shoulder.

Oliver's lips pressed sweetly against her forehead as he pushed her bangs back. With his arm wrapped tightly around her, he leaned his head against hers, his body relaxing. "I love you too, baby. Sweet dreams." Lana listened to Oliver's heavenly voice as she drifted off into darkness. The doctor didn't fall asleep right away, however. He cradled his Lana as he was left alone with his thoughts.

He fully intended to speak to Sister Jude tomorrow. But he wasn't going in blind. Oliver smirked at the ceiling as he stroked his lover's soft, bare skin. There was no way he was losing Lana Winters. If Jude wanted a fight, she would certainly get one. Little did the nun know, her opponent wasn't one to underestimate. Ultimately, that would be the reformed Christian's downfall, Oliver knew. Reassured that he could handle himself, the handsome man let his eyes close as he pulled Lana in even closer to his body and drifted off to sleep.

[TBC]


	7. Chapter 7

Confounding Feelings, Part 7.

It was exactly seven o'clock in the morning as Oliver Thredson waited patiently outside of Sister Jude's office. He had woken up just in time and managed not to awaken Lana on his way out. His fingers drummed nervously against the scalpel hidden in his jacket pocket as he waited for the nun's arrival. The doctor decided that he would not attend a meeting such as this with no means of defense. Jude had personally told him that she never forgot anything, and should she give him a reason to attack, Oliver would make sure she would never forget to cross him again.

Oliver checked his watch. An annoyed scoff left him. The woman was fifteen minutes late after telling him to be on time, no exceptions. His dark brown eyes rolled as his dress shoes began tapping impatiently against the wood of the asylum floor. The psychiatrist's thoughts drifted to Lana Winters as he anxiously ground his teeth together. There was no way in hell he was losing the woman he loved because of his own foolishness. Lana was an angel and she never belonged in this god forsaken place. He had known that from the moment he laid eyes on her. Though deep down, a selfless part of himself wondered if she would be better off in the long run without him. Oliver had to shake that feeling. Lana had told him herself that she didn't want to leave him, so he would fight for her to stay by his side.

Dr. Thredson's thoughts were cut short as he heard the telltale sound of heels clacking against the wood floor, coming in his direction. Luckily, Sister Jude was alone as she approached him. He desperately tried to stifle his rage and force his professional persona. From this moment on, he had to act as normal as possible to erase all suspicion. Oliver forced a smile as the blonde approached him. "Dr. Thredson, I'm so sorry I'm late. We had another patient attempt to escape. It's been an eventful morning." Sister Jude explained, though deep down Oliver knew she was simply toying with him. The very thought had the psychiatrist wanting to choke her.

Instead, he nodded and opened Jude's office door to allow her in before him. "It's no problem, Sister. After you." The tiny nun nodded, her expression complacent. She moved confidently into the room and took a seat at the chair behind her desk. Oliver took a seat on the other side and folded his arms impatiently across his chest. The nun didn't say anything right away, she simply watched him for a minute or two. It was as though she could see right through him.

"Well, as I'm sure you recall, we're meeting here today to speak about the disappearance of Lana Winters." Sister Jude said, one of her eyebrows raised as she watched Oliver closely. The doctor nodded, but said nothing. Sister Jude continued, her voice as condescending as ever. "Nobody in this facility is still quite sure how she escaped. Someone must be keeping her. Someone with the resources to care for her, someone who cares about her." The blonde woman's blue eyes narrowed as she waited for Oliver to intervene. Still, the handsome doctor said nothing. The nun leaned in a little closer to him, her expression one of suspicion. "You've always been fond of her, Thredson. Don't think I didn't notice. What have you done to her?"

Laughter was Oliver's first reaction. His whole body shook and his eyes closed as he leaned forward slightly in his seat. "You are so pretentious. You speak as though you care about her well being." His laughter stopped, his expression becoming serious as he perched his elbows on his knees, leaning in closer to Sister Jude. "Considering the awful things you've done, not only to her, but to the others, I'm surprised you even called this meeting. I know you think you're doing this to save your image. It looks bad if a patient escapes on your watch. However," Oliver paused, moving to stand, his hand tracing the outline of the scalpel in his pocket. He couldn't help smiling as Sister Jude sunk back in her chair, fear flashing in her eyes. "No matter what you do, you're going to look like the bad guy."

Now indignant, Jude slammed her fists against her desk and stood abruptly. "I am not the bad guy! I am a woman of God! I am helping these people, whether you believe it or not!" The nun shouted in Oliver's face, her bony hands shaking and clenched as she pounded the desk again. Papers on the desk shook and flew off, the nun's breath was shallow, a wild look shadowed in her blue eyes. In an instant, Oliver rounded the desk, removed the scalpel from his pocket, and pressed Sister Jude against the wall. The blade of the small utensil pressed into her veiny neck, and she gasped at the sharp sensation.

Oliver glared down at the religious figure, his free hand pressed hard against her shoulder, trapping her effectively. "Let me make one thing very clear. You have not helped anyone, not a single soul, in this whole asylum. You have maimed, tortured and tormented these people. Including my Lana." The doctor pressed the scalpel hard enough into Jude's neck to draw blood. The older woman gasped, her tiny hands grasping at Oliver's wrist desperately. "I should kill you for what you've done to her!" Dr. Thredson's voice raised, rage filled his being.

Despite how angry he was, Oliver knew that Lana would be deeply disappointed and maybe even scared of him if he murdered Sister Jude. The thought of her alone was enough for him to loosen his hold on the nun. "Consider this to be my notice. I will not be working here any longer." Thredson put the scalpel back in his pocket, but kept a hand firmly against Jude's shoulder. Their eyes met as they regarded each other with distrust. "And if you say anything... Anything at all... About Lana or myself... To anybody... I will find you and I will kill you." With that said, Oliver backed off, releasing Sister Jude with a smile. The nun looked horrified, but didn't say anything or move to do anything to the psychiatrist.

Oliver straightened his tie and ran a hand through his coifed black hair as he sighed. Sister Jude was frozen, she hadn't moved from her place against the wall. She raised a shaking hand to her throat and stared at Dr. Thredson as he was walking toward the office door. His hand froze on the handle, and he turned to look at Jude one last time. "You once told me you never forget anything. Well, neither do I." Their eyes met. Oliver's dark brown eyes glowed with rage as he watched the nun slide to the floor, her own eyes shining with unshed tears. "Please keep that in mind before you do anything rash. I am very protective of Lana. If anything is done to compromise her happiness, I will tear this world apart, piece by bloody piece." Satisfied by the fear he had seen, Oliver slipped out of Jude's office and quickly made his way to his car.

Thankfully, no one attempted to apprehend his escape. The doctor got into his car and sped off to his house. Oliver couldn't help the smile that filled out his lips. He was on his way home to see Lana. His sweet, sweet Lana. He couldn't wait to kiss her and hold her. The dark haired man pulled into his driveway and burst into the house. His heart was racing as he entered his bedroom. There she was. Lana Winters was still sleeping in the nude of her side of his bed. Oliver sighed in relief and pulled all his clothes off as well as his glasses and got back into bed beside her.

The shifting of the bed made Lana stir, a quiet whine escaping her lips. Oliver curled his larger body around her's, holding her possessively against him. From this day forward, he was never letting her go. The writer turned to face him, her brown eyes opening ever so slightly to look at her lover. She smiled, and then her head snapped over towards his alarm clock. It was now 7:45. "Please tell me you went to that meeting..." Her voice was mumbled as she watched Oliver pensively. The doctor nodded and traced his fingers lazily up and down the smaller woman's arms.

"Of course I did. That evil woman will not be bothering us again." Lana pulled away at this, her eyes filled with worry. "Don't worry. She's alive." Oliver explained, waving a hand dismissively as he spoke. A sigh escaped Lana's lips as she fell lax against him. She thanked whatever forces were out there that he hadn't done anything rash. Her eyes drifted closed as she pressed her ear against Oliver's chest, listening to his steady heartbeat.

"So, what did happen then?" The brunette asked, nervously biting her lip as she posed the question. Oliver explained the story in detail, and when he spoke of threatening Sister Jude, Lana slapped him sharply on the arm. "Oliver! You could be in jail right now!"

With a confident smirk, he said, "But I'm not, now am I?" His partner groaned in aggravation and she shook her head disapprovingly against his chest. "I needed to make my point, Lana. Do you think I would be here right now if I didn't prove to be a loose cannon?" Lana knew he had a point. She sighed, pulling away to look up at him. The look in Oliver's eyes made her breath catch in her throat. Not only did she see love shining in those black eyes, she also saw tears beginning to gather in the corners. "I swore to protect you. I always will, Lana... If you'll let me." Even after all they had been through together, the doctor still seemed unsure about their relationship.

Lana shook her head, smiling up at her partner. She leaned in to kiss his lips and stroked her hand through his hair. "There's no place else I'd rather be." The journalist whispered. Oliver smiled, his lips trembling slightly as he held in the tears that threatened to fall. He pulled her back into his arms and whispered sweet nothings into her ear. Ms. Winters still could not believe just how real her feelings for Oliver Thredson were becoming. Half the time she could hardly believe the words coming out of her own mouth. But she meant every word.

Lana breathed in Oliver's scent deeply through her nose as they cuddled against one another. She moaned at the pleasing scent of his cologne and relished the warmth of his body against her own. The journalist could feel her body beginning to tingle with arousal as she could now feel every inch of her lover's bare skin. She never thought she could find a man's body attractive. Especially not one as muscular and as tall as Oliver's was, but his body turned her on like nothing else. Lana sat up on the bed and pushed Oliver onto his back by his shoulders. The doctor smirked up at her as she straddled him. "Eager, aren't we?" Oliver commented with a chuckle.

Lana silenced him with a fierce kiss, her tongue wasted no time in finding his. The journalist ground her hips against his, attempting to find some relief. She was pleased to find him hard and ready. Lana shifted her hips, finding the perfect angle for his erection rub deliciously against her clit. The two broke away from their kiss, both of them moaning their satisfaction. Oliver's hands found their place on her hips. He acted as an anchor, guiding her frantic movements. The wetness of Lana's sex against Oliver's hardness was driving him wild. His hips moved of their own accord, matching her uneven pace.

"Oh! Oliver!" Lana cried as a particular thrust of his left her wanting more. She desperately needed him inside of her. Her sex was clenching in anticipation of having him sheathed inside of her once more. With a groan, Oliver sat up and lifted Lana over his head. He positioned her on her hands and knees and sat up on his knees, moving behind her. The dark haired doctor grabbed her wrists and held them together behind her back. Lana Winters was trembling with excitement and she sighed as she felt Oliver's cock brushing against her slick folds. "Inside! I need you inside of me, Oliver!" The tiny brunette whimpered, wishing she could look into her lover's dark eyes. However, there was something thrilling about being put into a new position.

"I know, baby..." The handsome man responded quietly. Still thrusting himself slowly between her labia, Oliver smirked at the view he had of their grinding bodies and at the sound of Lana's pleas. "Do you need to come, Lana?" Oliver whispered darkly, snapping his hips sharply so his partner could feel the added friction of his hardness against her clitoris. The writer moaned at the sensation and the doctor tightened his hold on her wrists as he plunged himself inside of her pussy. The couple moaned, their bodies were perfectly still. Lana's mind went blank. She had never felt Oliver pressed so deeply inside of her and she decided she loved this position. It was as though she could feel every inch of his girth stretching her and she couldn't help the screams spilling from her mouth as he began pounding into her. Lana also loved the feeling of helplessness as she couldn't use her hands. Her eyes screwed shut as she listened to Oliver's dirty talk.

"You are so tight, baby! So wet, so hot! Fuck!" The psychiatrist's voice was deepened by his thrumming arousal, his brow was pinched as he thrusted with all the strength he had in his body. The headboard as smacking rhythmically against the wall from the intensity of their passionate romp. Oliver growled as she tightened her muscles around him in time with his movements. He used one hand to keep her wrists restrained and used his free hand to pull on her soft brown hair. Lana let her head fall back with the tug and couldn't contain herself as she could now see her partner's face clearly. Sweat was dripping from his brow from the physical exertion of their lovemaking, and his eyes were shut, his face twisted from what she assumed to be pleasure.

"Oliver..." The writer called his name, bringing his attention to her face. Their eyes met and a smile lit up Oliver's dark features. He twisted her hair a little, groaning as he thrusted even harder inside of her. The pair watched one another, moaning as they moved in sync to reach completion. Lana could feel herself quickly reaching her precipice. Oliver released her hair and her wrists and placed his hands firmly on her thin hips. His movements stilled, and Lana whimpered as he pulled out of her.

The brunette turned to face him, her cheeks were red as she saw the determined look on Oliver's face. "I need to see your face when you come..." Was all the doctor said before pulling her underneath him. Ms. Winters shivered as Dr. Thredson leaned in and began sucking insistently on one of her nipples. He thrust very suddenly back inside of her and set a wild pace. Lana grasped onto his shoulders, wrapping her legs around his hips and squeezed him desperately. One of the dark haired man's hands snuck between their sweaty bodies to rub her little nub and his mouth pulled away from her nipple to latch onto her neck. Oliver smirked to himself as Lana cooed, her nails now dragging against his skin as he took her over and over again.

A dirty, but wonderful idea struck the young woman suddenly. She dug her foot harshly into Oliver's lower back as he crashed repeatedly inside of her. "Oh, Doctor Thredson!" Lana whimpered. The journalist had to repress a smirk at the change in expression on Oliver's face. She had never seen such desperation written all over his face. He released her nipple with a ragged sigh. His broad shoulders fell forward as his forehead rested against her chest, his thrusts becoming faster. "I feel so hot! I'm so close, doctor! Please! I need to come!"

Thredson's movements became jerky at her proclamation. He kept his thumb circling fiercely against her clit and after a particularly hard squeeze from Lana's wet inner muscles, Oliver was coming. "Lana! Oh God, yes!" He crooned, still pumping her, waiting for her to come with him. A broken moan left his partner as he felt the telltale clenching of her walls around him. She was coming. Lana's hands clenched tightly against Oliver's back as she spasmed around him, her lips spilling his name like a mantra. The psychiatrist drew out their tryst, still plunging into Lana's tight pussy minutes after they had both reached their peak. Oliver's breathing was heavy as he finally stopped. He stayed pressed inside of her and pulled her up into his lap and his arms.

"You're amazing," Ms. Winters breathed, her body still shaking from the aftermath of extreme pleasure. Their brown eyes met, both of them attempting to catch their breath. Lana leaned into Oliver's neck and peppered tiny open mouthed kisses across the sweaty expanse of his skin. "I love you." She continued amorously. This time, they both knew she meant it. There was no doubt in Lana's mind that it was love that she felt for Oliver Thredson. The young woman had come to fully understand him. All Oliver needed was some love to begin recovering. Of course, he wasn't totally coherent yet, but in time, she was sure he could become completely sane.

The doctor pressed his forehead against his partner's shoulder, his body weakened from the physical exertion of passionate sex. "I love you, too." Oliver mumbled tiredly against the soft skin of her tiny shoulder. Lana smiled, moving to massage the man's slumped shoulders. He grunted at the pleasurable kneading of her small hands. His own hands were lightly tracing up and down the writer's spine.

"So what do we do now?" Lana asked quietly, her voice uncertain. Oliver shrugged the shoulders his lover was massaging and pulled away from her shoulder to look her in the eye. "We'll have to lay low for a little bit. I'll have to return to my firm and they'll find some kind of work for me." His eyes rolled as he said this, a small sigh escaped him. "I was really hoping to stay at Briarcliff. We could have taken them down together."

Lana simply smiled and shook her head. "That would have been a lost cause, anyway. What would I do? Write from home without my publisher?"

"I would have published it for you." Oliver shrugged again. Lana giggled and he tapped her arm in a joking reprimand. "I'm not kidding. I have a typewriter here and I have my fair share of connections. If you're itching to write again, I could make it happen." Ms. Winters' eyes widened slightly. She certainly missed her writing, it was what gave her life. Oliver smiled at her expression and pressed a kiss affectionately to her temple. "I take it that you're interested?"

Lana nodded vigorously. They both laughed as he picked her up and brought her over to his desk. The psychiatrist sat her in the wooden chair and watched as Lana took in the setup with quiet fascination. Sat there on the desk was an expensive looking typewriter. Lana's fingers brushed against the buttons. She looked over her shoulder at Dr. Thredson with a bright grin. "Thank you, Oliver. This is wonderful."

Oliver smiled back and rubbed her bare shoulders. "It's not a problem, Lana. Anytime you want to write, you are more than welcome to do so." He pressed a chaste kiss to her cheek and then released her. "Why don't you get started? I have to make a few calls to my firm. Let's say we meet back up for lunch around 11?" At the journalist's nod, the tall man moved to exit their bedroom.

Right away, Lana began writing a brief outline of what had happened at Briarcliff and smiled to herself as she typed. For the first time in a long time she was excited about life. Justice would be brought to all those helpless victims of the asylum's cruelty. The best part was that the brunette wasn't doing it by herself. She had her reformed lover right by her side. Her heart sped up, pure excitement racing through her veins. Lana finally had found peace in her life, and it was all thanks to Dr. Oliver Thredson.

[TBC]


	8. Chapter 8

Confounding Feelings, Part 8.

Lana Winters had spent the better half of the past couple of hours lost in her current piece that she was writing. 20 or so pages had been fully typed out, and she was now reading over her work. It was an article written from her point of view about the horrors of Briarcliff Manor. As she proofread the piece, she caught herself smiling at her own writing. The journalist was reading a particular part where she was detailing how she met her lover, Dr. Oliver Thredson. Her heart sped up at her own vivid description of their meeting. It was quite romantic in nature, Lana realized as she read along. It was strange to think that at the time of their meeting that she didn't have any romantic interest in him. Of course she found him to be attractive. Despite her strong sexual preference for the female gender, she had always found him to be handsome.

However, the way it was written made their relationship seem romantic from the start. Lana had depicted Oliver as a knight in shining armor, someone who swooped in and attempted to help her heal. Someone who literally took her out of hell and brought her somewhere safe. Only, that wasn't the whole truth. Oliver had obviously killed Wendy and intended to keep Lana hostage at first. It's not like she could mention any of that mess, not if she wanted Oliver to stay out of prison. Or even worse, he could wind up in Briarcliff. Ms. Winters shook her head as she peeked over at the alarm clock on Oliver's bedside. It was 11:30!

Nervousness churned through her stomach as she bit her lip. Oliver was always punctual, and he had told her they would meet for lunch at 11:00. Why hadn't he sought her out? Lana stood and made her way slowly and cautiously out into the kitchen. When she didn't see any sign of the doctor, Lana reached for a knife from the knife block. The brunette held it defensively in front of herself as she rounded the corner and entered the living room. The breath she had been holding left her in a sharp gasp as she spotted her partner asleep on the couch.

She should have been reassured by the sight, but instead Lana clenched the blade tighter. It was even more out of character for Oliver to be taking a nap. Had someone broken in and poisoned him? Perhaps Sister Jude had connections and she paid someone to harm Dr. Thredson? The writer shuffled slowly over to Oliver's side and fell to her knees beside him. She reached her free hand out and pressed two fingers to the pulse point on his neck. He was still alive! "Oliver! Wake up!" Lana beckoned, her two fingers fell away from his neck and moved to insistently shake his shoulder. When he didn't stir, Lana's heart stopped.

"Do you really think I'd let that man threaten me and get away with it?" A familiar voice spoke from behind the couple on the couch. The journalist stood swiftly and turned around to see Sister Jude standing there, seemingly unarmed. Lana brandished the chef's knife she was holding and her brown eyes widened. Jude's eyes were a cold ice blue as they met Lana's. The nun scoffed, her eyes shifted down to the knife briefly. "You want to kill me? Ms. Winters, I'm here to save you." Her small, veiny hands were held in front of her robes in submission.

Lana's eyes narrowed as she laughed, shaking her head at the outrageous statement. "Save me from what? I am perfectly fine here, thank you." Ms. Winters said dryly, her voice surprisingly even despite the adrenaline coursing through her body. The writer didn't dare move from her place in front of Oliver. She'd be damned if she let anything happen to him.

Sister Jude began moving slowly towards Lana, her hands still held in front of her chest. "That man..." Jude nodded to the doctor's unconscious form and the journalist briefly glanced behind herself to see his handsome face. When Lana turned back, the blonde nun was only a foot away from her. She pointed the knife towards her opponent's throat and stood her ground. Despite the obvious threat, Sister Jude continued speaking calmly. "He is incredibly dangerous. I would dare say that he is mentally unstable. To stay with him is suicide, Lana."

"You have some nerve!" Lana shouted as she gathered the courage to take a step forward and press her knife against Sister Jude's throat. She noticed the rip in her religious garb and surmised that was the same area Oliver had pressed his scalpel to. The younger woman noticed the brief flash of fear in Jude's eyes. "Showing up here, knocking Oliver out, and then pretending that you're doing all this for my well being! You're not doing any of this for me, you're doing this because you're pissed off that somebody got the better of you!" Lana caught Sister Jude by the back of her neck and began digging the blade deeper into the nun's cut flesh.

The older woman reared back, outright panic written all over her face as she attempted to get free. Not quite comfortable with murder, Lana devised a plan. Using her dominant strength, she pushed the blonde woman back. Jude stumbled backwards, tripping over the coffee table and fell with a painful thud to the wood floor. "You're just like him!" Sister Jude yelped. She pointed an accusatory and shaking finger in Lana's direction. The journalist simply laughed, and began stalking towards the proclaimed 'Woman of God'.

"Maybe I am. Perhaps that will serve to remind you never to bother us again." As Lana neared Sister Jude's crumpled form, the fallen woman crawled backwards until she hit a wall. The brunette knelt before her and glared, her knife raised threateningly. "What did you do to him?" Lana's voice was icy as she spoke, her face only centimeters away from the nun's.

Now gasping for breath, the Christian whimpered her response. "I-it was just chloroform. I-I wasn't going to hurt him." Regaining her composure, Lana grasped Sister Jude by the collar and lifted her back to her feet. Her knife lowered as she sighed in relief. "Give me one good reason not to call the police right now." Ms. Winters demanded. She dropped the knife to the floor and held tightly with both hands onto Sister Jude's religious habit.

"You'll call the police? You're a runaway, Miss. Lana Banana." The nun laughed, her tone holier-than-thou. Now angered, Lana released the fabric and clenched her hands around Sister Jude's throat. She exerted enough pressure to feel something crack under her fingers. Tears began spilling from Jude's blue eyes as her weak fingers clenched desperately at Lana's strong ones. Pure rage clouded the writer's thoughts as she kept a tight grip on her victim's throat. A weak gasp left Sister Jude as oxygen deprivation eventually made her pass out. Lana allowed her body to fall to the floor and ran back over to her lover's side.

Oliver Thredson was still noticeably still. It was clear that he was still breathing, but his chest wasn't rising as much as it should be. That meant his breathing was shallow. Panic overtook Lana's being as she tried to figure out what to do. Sister Jude was unconscious on the living room floor, and she was a runaway herself! There was no way she could call for an ambulance. There was only one thing she could think to do. The smaller woman braced herself and began lifting Oliver's much larger form as best she could. The journalist knew she had to get him into the shower if she was going to wake him up in time.

Lana hooked her forearms under his armpits and used all her strength to drag him into the bathroom. She turned the water on as cold as it would go and managed to lift his heavy body into the tub. With both of themselves still fully clothed, she tipped his head into the spray of the shower head. "Come on, Oliver! Wake up!" Lana shouted encouragingly as she patted his face. The brunette had to admit that she was discouraged when the psychiatrist didn't wake right away. Tears began to gather in her brown eyes as she beat her tiny fists against his chest. "Oliver... Please..." A sob escaped her, her voice was a distraught whimper as she spoke.

The young woman broke down crying. She tucked her head into his neck, the icy spray of the water not bothering her in the least. After a minute of heavy sobbing, Oliver jolted upright with a gasp, his dark eyes wide and frantic. His body was shivering as he blinked. Lana pulled Oliver into a tight embrace, still shaking as she cried. "Lana! What happened? What's wrong?" Oliver nearly whispered, his voice broken from misuse. The doctor took in their surroundings and instantly knew something was wrong.

Lana's breath caught in her throat as she continued sobbing. Somehow, she managed to speak shakily. "Sister Jude is here. She knocked you out. She claimed she was here to save me." Oliver's eyes darkened noticeably upon hearing this and his body jerked to stand up immediately. Lana kept a tight hold on him, but his strength was too much for her. She was pulled to her feet right along with him. "She's unconscious, Oliver! She isn't a threat anymore!" Lana kept her arms wrapped tightly around her lover, refusing to let him go. If he got free, there was no telling what he would do.

"Did she hurt you?" Oliver asked, his voice slightly unhinged with rage. His fists were clenching as he awaited Lana's response. The writer simply shook her head, her eyes wide as they regarded his. "She still has to pay." The psychiatrist grunted. Oliver wriggled out of his partner's arms and made his way into the living room with heavy feet. Lana was close behind him, one of her hands was resting between his shoulder blades. As he entered the room, he spotted his prey. Sister Jude was collapsed on the floor. Clearly Lana had managed to knock the nun out cold. It was such an odd thing to feel pride over, but Oliver felt it nonetheless. He looked over his shoulder at the reporter and smirked down at her. "You did this, Lana?"

Lana worried her lower lip between her teeth and nodded shyly. "I couldn't let her hurt you... I couldn't let her take me away..." Oliver sighed and turned to pull the brunette into his arms. He stroked her hair and pressed a chaste kiss to her cheek. Nobody had ever done anything as outstanding as this for him. Nobody had ever cared enough to protect him. Lana wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her ear to his chest. "Please don't kill her, Oliver." She whispered, her head pulled back from his chest to peek imploringly up at him.

Oliver shook his head, his lips pulling into a thin line. "It goes against my better judgement not to do so. This woman will never stop... Unless I scare her adequately." Dr. Thredson pulled away from Lana once again and made his way over to Jude's crumpled form. He lifted her effortlessly into his arms and turned to enter the basement. Lana Winters stood rooted to the spot, watching with worried eyes as Oliver disappeared down the stairs. She debated with whether or not she even wanted to follow him, but she knew she had to. She had to keep Oliver from killing again.

When she reached the bottom of the staircase, she stopped. Oliver had seemingly tossed Sister Jude carelessly on the concrete floor and was now rifling through the drawers on his desk in the corner. The doctor glanced over at Lana and waved her to come further into the basement. When the brunette didn't move, Thredson sighed heavily. "You can trust me, Lana. I'm not going to kill her. That's not what I do anymore." The writer carefully made her way towards him and watched as he picked out a scalpel. Lana's heartbeat was vibrating in her ears as she wrung her hands nervously.

"If you're not going to kill her... What are you going to do?" Ms. Winters asked quietly, her gaze resting on the fine blade of the utensil. Oliver bent down on his knees before the nun. He turned her over onto her stomach and undid a few buttons on the back of her habit. He exposed the fine skin of her back and began carving letters into her skin. Lana watched in horrified fascination as he carved the words 'Always Watching' into her back. The doctor pulled back a bit and admired his work before buttoning Jude's dress back up.

"We're simply leaving a message. Now, I'm going to go drop her somewhere inconspicuous, and when she comes to, she'll find her way to wherever she wants to go." Oliver said as he placed the scalpel into his jacket pocket. Lana released the breath she was holding as her partner lifted Sister Jude back up, tossing her like a bag of potatoes over his shoulder. His eyes met her's apologetically. He knew he had scared her, even though he hadn't killed the religious figurehead. "Please wait for me, Lana. Please don't let this scare you off..." Oliver mumbled quietly. Before he could make his way up the stairs, Lana's hand shot out and caught his wrist.

"I'm not scared, Oliver. And I'm not going anywhere." Lana said truthfully. She was scared, up until he had simply left a cryptic message in Sister Jude's skin. She was actually quite proud that he'd fought his demons and let her live, even after such a steep transgression. "Can I please come with you? I don't want to be alone..."

Oliver looked reproachful at first, but once he saw the fear shining in her eyes, he knew he couldn't say no. "Let's go. Quickly, before she wakes up." The doctor pressed his free hand on Lana's lower back as he ushered her up the stairs and out of the house. He grabbed his car keys off the kitchen counter and handed them to the journalist. "There's an abandoned building not far from Briarcliff. We'll drop her there." Oliver informed his partner as he dumped Jude's body in the back seat. He climbed into the passenger seat and buckled himself in as Lana started the car.

The two sped off towards the freeway. The car ride was spent in silence, though the pair often looked nervously in the back seat to see if the nun was regaining consciousness. Lana was watching Oliver out of the corner of her eye. He seemed tense and ready for anything. His hand hovered over the jacket pocket in which he had placed the scalpel. Ms. Winters turned her eyes back to the road. They were just now passing Briarcliff. The writer stiffened at the sight of the building, a whole bunch of unpleasant memories assaulting her mind.

Once they passed the building, Oliver finally spoke up. "Pull in over here." The doctor commanded, pointing to the left side of the road. Lana did as she was told. The parking lot they pulled into wasn't paved at all. Lana looked out the car window to see what looked like an abandoned hospital. She briefly wondered how Oliver knew about this place. She parked on the dirt road and herself and Dr. Thredson exited the vehicle. He wasted no time in dragging Sister Jude out of the back seat. He threw her over his shoulder once more and made his way towards the empty building. Lana trailed behind a bit. She was scared of being caught. She'd never done anything like this before.

The black haired man sensed her trepidation and looked over his shoulder at her. "You can stay in the car if you'd like. I'll only be a minute." Oliver offered softly. Lana stopped in her tracks and shook her head. "No. I'm coming with you." 'I can't let anything happen to you.' She thought to herself. Thredson smiled a bit at her and nodded. The two continued into the dark building. It was made even darker by the lack of sunlight. The couple entered what looked to be an old reception area. There was dust and cobwebs everywhere. The floors were covered in dirt. Oliver tossed Sister Jude unceremoniously to the floor and turned to look at his lover. Her arms were folded across her chest, her expression nervous and unsure. She looked even smaller in this position.

The psychiatrist crossed the room to brush his hands consolingly against her arms. "It's okay, Lana. This will all go away soon, I promise." Oliver's voice was soft as he spoke, his eyes conveying pity. He still blamed himself for everything that had just transpired. If he hadn't have sent her out that night, none of this would be happening.

"Maybe we should kill her..." The reporter spoke up quietly. Her eyes remained glued to Sister Jude's figure as she said this. Oliver's eyes widened. He was shaking his head and began to speak until Lana cut him off. "I'm serious. This will all look very suspicious if somebody finds her."

Dr. Thredson continued shaking his head, his hands grasped Lana's shoulders firmly. The contact brought her eyes back to his. "And it will seem just as suspicious if we kill her. They will be looking for a body. And if they can't find one, they will send the police to ask questions. I'm sure you don't want to deal with that. Keep in mind that she knocked me out against my will. She won't be able to say anything to the police unless she's willing to go to jail herself." Oliver explained. He didn't wait for a response and wrapped an arm around Lana and began pulling her out of the building with him. The writer went without complaints, however she took one last look at Sister Jude from over her shoulder before the large double doors closed for good.

The orphaned doctor ushered Lana into the passenger seat and took the keys from her. He started the car and headed in the direction of their house. On the ride home, he broke the uncomfortable silence. "I just want you to know that if anything does happen that could implicate us, I will take the fall." Ms. Winters said nothing, but a look of concern shadowed her features. Oliver smiled slightly as he noticed her grave expression. "I highly doubt that anything will come about, but if it does, I want you to live your life fully and happily."

Despite the fact that she now couldn't imagine her life without him in it, Lana was touched by his words. No one had ever offered such a selfless thing to her. Not even Wendy had said such words. In fact, Wendy had chosen her job over saving her own lover from the hell of being in an insane asylum. Lana reached across the car to grasp Oliver's free hand. Their eyes met and the doctor squeezed her hand in reassurance as he saw the tears beginning to well up again. "Thank you. I... I don't know how I'll ever repay your kindness, Oliver." Lana confessed breathlessly.

The handsome man shook his head and tried his best to keep his eyes glued to the road. "You don't owe me anything, Lana." As the car pulled into the driveway, Oliver turned the car off. Neither of them moved to exit the vehicle immediately. They were so engrossed in each other. The psychiatrist turned fully in his seat to face his lover. The two embraced and shared small kisses. They whispered affectionate things to one another. Lana was the first to pull away with a small smile tugging at her lips. "So, what should we do now?"

Oliver laughed and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. It's going to be hard to top everything else that has happened today." The reporter laughed as well. One thing was for sure, she sure was hungry. She didn't even have to mention it, for her stomach grumbled loudly enough for her partner to hear. The doctor smirked, just now remembering their plans to have lunch earlier. "That's right! We were supposed to have lunch! What do you say we go fix something up?" Lana nodded as a blush heated her pale cheeks.

The pair exited the vehicle and made their way into their home, hand in hand. The couple was so blissfully unaware of their surroundings that they failed to notice the silhouette of Sister Mary Eunice hiding behind a tree in their front yard. The possessed nun watched as the two entered their home with watchful eyes. As the front door closed, she cackled to herself. "I certainly like a challenge. That boy could prove useful to us... And now with Sister Jude out of my way, there's nobody to stop me." Without another word, Mary Eunice silently made her way to her car she had parked up the street. The engine roared to life as she started it and she wasted no time speeding off to the abandoned hospital that Lana Winters and Oliver Thredson had just returned from. With a derisive smirk, she knew she had a job to finish. Sister Jude had to perish.

[TBC]


End file.
